ACTION is being taken by the organisers of the countyÕs recycling programme to prevent recyclable waste from being dumped in landfill sites.

The news comes after The Herald reported that Project Integra, which manages the countyÕs waste strategy, has been landfilling some recyclable waste since May last year because it was unable to cope with the increased volumes of recyclable waste.

But now Hampshire County Council, a partner in Project Integra, has confirmed that a short-term deal has been struck which will mean that no more recyclable waste should go to landfill.

Problems arose after a series of successful recycling schemes were launched throughout the county - including East Hampshire District CouncilÕs controversial alternate weekly collection.

Project Integra found itself unable to cope as a state-of-the-art recycling facility in Alton, which can recycle up to 85,000 tonnes of waste, is not due to come on line until June 2004.

It then took the decision to send to landfill excess recyclable waste as HampshireÕs only other recycling facility in Portsmouth was full to capacity.

In a statement, Hampshire County Council said: ÒLast year, just under 220,000 tonnes of material from kerbside collections, bottle banks, household waste recycling centres, and textiles, including 60,000 tonnes reprocessed through the Portsmouth Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), were recycled in Hampshire.

ÒProject Integra has achieved a recycling rate of around 21 per cent. This is one of the highest in the UK, and about twice the national average.

ÒMuch of this is due to the excellent way residents have embraced the need to recycle material to improve our environment. This success outstripped recycling capacity for a short period, requiring a small amount of waste, destined to be recycled, instead being placed in landfill.

ÒDuring 2002, the combined amount of recyclable and green garden waste that was sent to landfill was only around four per cent of the total amount of material collected for recycling. While sending recyclables and green garden waste to landfill is regrettable, the success of recycling in Hampshire is driven by public demand.

ÒManaging the amounts of material collected for recycling, and ensuring there are sufficient facilities in place to cope, is a complex business. On this occasion, the demand was greater than the capacity to reprocess the material for a short period.Ó

But council officials have confirmed that a deal has been agreed which will mean that, until the MRF in Alton is complete, excess waste will be sent to Berkshire.

ÒTo rectify the situation in the short- term, some recyclables are now being taken to a plant in Reading which will alleviate the current capacity difficulties,Ó the statement said.

Project Integra is also looking at trying to solve capacity problems over the recycling of garden waste.

The statement said: ÒIn addition to the success of collecting recyclables, more than 53,000 tonnes of green garden waste was processed into compost, which is sold as Pro-Grow soil conditioner.

ÒThere has been a short-term problem with reprocessing some of this material due to the need to ensure that green waste is not contaminated with other material, thus rendering it unusable.

ÒThe composting plant at Down End in Fareham has been working at reduced capacity because difficulties over odours from the plant have affected local residents. New outlets for green waste composting in Hampshire are being investigated, to provide sufficient capacity to meet projected demands.

ÒThe Project Integra partnership has recently been successful in an application for £2.4 million funding from the governmentÕs waste minimisation and recycling fund to develop additional 30,000 tonne green waste capacity per year.

ÒThis extra facility is expected to be available from mid 2004, taking the total green waste reprocessing capacity in Hampshire up to 100,000 tonnes per year, well ahead of estimated demand.Ó

Despite the problems, the county council, backed by the district council, is urging residents to continue with the recycling efforts.

ÒThe key must be not to discourage those who recycle, and to encourage those who currently do not,Ó the statement said.

ÒProject IntegraÕs management board is committed to achieving the longer-term aim to recycle 40 per cent of HampshireÕs waste by 2005/06.

ÒAll the local authorities involved with Integra, together with Hampshire Waste Services, are striving to achieving this, and to ensuring appropriate reprocessing facilities are in place.Ó