RESIDENTS want to cut down on waste and do more recycling – and are urging manufacturers to reduce packaging. The views come in a comprehensive survey published on Friday by the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership. The partnership set out to seek views on the

RESIDENTS want to cut down on waste and do more recycling - and are urging manufacturers to reduce packaging.

The views come in a comprehensive survey published on Friday by the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership.

The partnership set out to seek views on the ways of reducing waste, increasing recycling and methods of dealing with remaining waste.

Partnership chairman County Councillor Derrick Ashley said: "It's abundantly clear that most residents support our aims to reduce waste and recycle more.

"This is an encouraging result," he said.

The partnership comprises of Hertfordshire County Council and all 10 district councils - including North Herts District Council.

North Herts is due to introduce in October every-two-weeks bin collections along with new recycling plans.

The survey showed that 98 per cent of people supported a reduction in the amount of waste produced - and 70 per cent said at least half of the waste should be recycled by 2012.

Other responses showed:

- 98 per cent for getting manufacturers and retailers to reduce the amount of non-recyclable packaging

- 84 per cent for using more publicity to help encourage waste reduction

- 86 per cent for promoting home composting

- 80 per cent for using real nappies rather than disposables

- 94 per cent for examining the potential of turning waste into energy

The survey revealed, too, that there was strong support for compulsory recycling (82 per cent), but less people who believed on being charged according to the amount of rubbish they produced.

The results of the survey will be used to help create an updated waste strategy which is expected to be approved in the autumn.

Council set to extend recycling

CHANGES to recycling are set to be introduced across North Herts in October.

A new waste and recycling service will be introduced and be extended to include kerbside recycling box collections.

And a network of plastic bottle recycling points is being set-up on 75 sites across North Herts.

The move to increase recycling will come as North Herts District Council drops once-a-week bin collections and introduces a once every two weeks collections.

Residents will shortly be supplied with recycling boxes.

- A blue box for paper - newspapers, magazines, junk mail, brochures and catalogues and shredded paper

- A black box for glass - any colour glass bottles and jars, and from October aluminium and steel cans)

- A brown wheelie bin for garden waste and 25 per cent cardboard

The district council will shortly be sending out details to all residents about the new recycling set up.

Residents living in flats may have a wheelie bin for recycling rather than boxes.