GREEN campaigners claim a proposed waste scheme for Essex fails to focus on recycling.

Essex County Council is putting together a 15-year plan for waste.

It is consulting over options for household waste, biological waste, inert waste recycling and inert landfill – with more facilities needed.

The consultation, which includes 28 preferred sites for new and expanded plants with several in north Essex, was due to end yesterday.

Friends of the Earth groups in Essex blasted the council for failing to capitalise on the opportunity for more recycling and re-use and called for a new plan.

Representative Paul Gadd said: “The Essex County Council waste strategy is costing Essex residents a huge amount of money and is clearly failing.

“People have been urging the council to look at the evidence and change their strategy to one which prioritises recycling and which should be deliverable at a lower cost.

“We don’t understand why the council is persisting with this failed strategy in light of the evidence against it.”

Roger Hirst, councillor responsible for the environment said: “Waste minimisation and increasing recycling are priorities for the council.

“The replacement waste local plan looks at the provisions for all waste to make sure the county is providing the best possible facilities to enable recycling, lessening the impact on the environment and on the community.

“Once adopted, the plan will ensure the provision of essential new waste infrastructure to support sustainable economic growth and ensure the protection of the environment.

“We aspire to reach 60 per cent recycling and composting by 2020 and we are on track.

“Our recycling and composting performance continues to improve year-onyear while we send less waste to landfill.”