Acclaim for Waste Project
Hackney Gazette – 29th September 2005
An innovative recycling project set up to combat rats, flies and maggots on Hackney's housing estates has won acclaim from the National Lottery.
The East London Community Recycling Partnership (ELCRP) has improved the quality of life for 2,500 residents by composting food waste.
As well as improving the boroughs most chronic garbage areas, it has also helped to reduce unemployment by hiring workers from participating estates.
It has been so successful it is being used as a model scheme by the Scottish Parliament and as far afield as the Caribbean island of Dominica – and now it has reached the regional finals of the National Lottery Awards 2005
"We're very excited about the news because we've worked hard to develop this unique food waste collection system," said Jane Wilde, Technical and Outreach Officer at ELCRP.
"It's the first in the country to operate on estates, where residents often get neglected."
"We collect the food door-to-door, compost it on the estate, then distribute it back to the residents to use in their plant pots or gardens. Any excess is used to make the communal areas greener."
"It really is a win-win operation and it's educational as well because people now understand that food waste is a resource, not just a stinky mess."