Opik disappointed at lack of recycling ambition

3.29.02pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 13th Apr 2007

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Lembit Opik has urged other parties to raise their sights and be more ambitious when it comes to recycling.

Mr Opik said only the Welsh Liberal Democrats were setting the tough targets on recycling to ensure a fairer, greener future for Wales.

Speaking during a visit to Track2000, the community recycling charity based in Grangetown, Cardiff, Mr Opik said: "Now that all the parties have published their manifestos, I'm disappointed that only the Welsh Lib Dems have set really tough targets on recycling.

"While we're calling for 60% of domestic waste to be recycled by the end of the next Assembly, the other parties have bottled out of setting such an ambitious target.

"Just as we have on our call for green taxes, Welsh Liberal Democrats are setting the agenda. For all their green words, once again the Tories have failed to provide the policies to back up their talk. Labour are so busy defending the status quo, that they cannot lift their eyes to the future. And Plaid Cymru have settled for a target which takes a step, when we need a leap.

"Our target is achievable - other European countries, and progressive local authorities in the UK have already done it. We want to put Wales at the forefront of the green revolution. Only a pair of votes for the Welsh Liberal Democrats will deliver that kind of ambitious green action."

Dominic Hannigan, Cardiff South and Penarth candidate added: "Track 2000 do wonderful work in turning one person's unwanted household clutter into something extremely useful for someone else. With landfill sites across Wales reaching capacity, we need to ensure that we find even more ways to re-use what we have.

Notes/Nodiadau:

Track2000 aim to conserve resources by recycling surplus household and commercial items, which are then passed back into the community to alleviate poverty to underprivileged families and individuals in need.

Ends/Diwedd