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100th Mini Recycling Centre - Black Swan, Fearby
Recycling in the Harrogate district has just reached a milestone with the council's 100th mini recycling centre opening at the Black Swan in Fearby, near Masham.
This local family business is also celebrating its own milestone. Run by the third generation of the McCourt family, it is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Sean McCourt explains why the family wanted to help the
council's recycling targets. "We realise that in
remote villages like ours, the council finds it extremely difficult
to find locations for these sites. Not only do
we run the Black Swan but we also have the Black Swan Holiday
Park. So, although it will be of great benefit
to local people, we know from feedback that visitors to the holiday
park are also making use of it. This has to be
good for the local area as well as the
environment. Some of the tourers are telling us
that they are making decisions on where to stay based on the
recycling facilities on the doorstep."
The 42,000 households who are now taking part in the council's
kerbside collection scheme for paper, cans, bottles and aluminium
helped the council to achieve its national recycling target of 14%
last year. From 1 April this year, the scheme
was extended to 55,000 homes.
Councillor Les Ellington, Cabinet Member for
Environmental Health, warns that more will need to be done to reach
the next government-set target of 21% for
2005/2006. He said:
"We are extremely grateful to the Black Swan for their public
spirited generosity in allowing us to place a mini-recycling centre
at their premises. People have to realise that
if we all don't start reducing waste it is going to have a big
impact in the future which will ultimately lead to increased costs
for landfill that will be passed on to the tax payer either locally
or nationally." ENDS
Mini recycling centres have also just been provided at
Greenhow, Thruscross and Low Burton. Full
details of the locations around the district are available from the
Recycling Helpline 01423 556852 or email at recycling@harrogate.gov.uk
or www.harrogate.gov.uk/recycling.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Councillor Les Ellington is available for comment on 01423
712461. Further technical information is
available from Mr Simon Johnson, Head of Environment on 01423
556845. Mr Simon McCourt can be contacted on
07771 834782.