London Mayor announces landfill reduction target

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson yesterday (January 18th) announced plans to substantially reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill by the country's capital.

Under the proposals, Mayor Johnson aims to divert all of London's waste away from landfill by 2025.

He intends to achieve this by improving recycling services within the city, which currently has the worst recycling rates in England, according to the Press Association.

Other measures outlined in the strategy also include generating electricity from waste.

It is estimated that London could save up to £90 million per year if it diverts its waste away from landfill to more sustainable projects.

Mr Johnson commented: "I want to work with borough councils to harvest the massive economic potential coming from London's waste both to save money off the city's bills and improve our environment."

The Green party welcomed the proposals, however, it cautioned that there needs to be real action to improve facilities in the capital if the mayor's targets are to be met.

Posted by Joseph Hutton