WE LIVE IN THE DUSTBIN OF EUROPE - BURT

11.26.00pm GMT Tue 13th Nov 2007

Richard Burt has today called for all Worcestershire residents, councils and businesses to "raise their game" on recycling as new figures, released by the Local Government Association, show that the UK now dumps more household waste into landfill than any country in the European Union.

Pershore's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate is warning that bold reforms are needed before local taxpayers feel the consequences.

Commenting today, Richard said:

"For decades people have been used to being able to throw their rubbish away without worrying about the consequences. Those days have to end.

"There needs to be an urgent and radical overhaul of the way in which rubbish is thrown away here in Worcestershire and across Britain"

Richard, who along with the West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats, recently produced a county-based environment report recommending new measures to aid recycling continued:

"At the current rate we will miss our recycling targets by a mile, costing the residents of Wychavon £824,592* in landfill taxes this year, and as much as £1,776,640** by 2010.

"Local people, businesses and councils all have a vital role to play to protect our countryside before it becomes buried in a mountain of rubbish. We need to raise our game and we need to do it now."