Shropshire Council has failed to find an alternative use for waste cardboard  now that it cannot be used for organic garden compost. Its only advice to householders is to drive to a recycling centre to dispose of it, but it will then be sent to landfill. Meanwhile many local authorities, including Telford, continue to collect cardboard and dispose of it in a sustainable fashion. Some local authorities in the UK are actually beginning to collect waste cardboard. Shropshire Council must work harder and faster to find a way of disposing of waste cardboad without sending it to landfill. 

Council response:

This Petition has now received over 1000 signatures, therefore under the Council's Petitions scheme, it is being referred to the Council for debate.  This debate will take place at the Council meeting on Thursday, 15th December at 10 am at The Shirehall. The outcome of the debate will be published after the meeting.

Outcome of Council Meeting:

(The following sets out the main outcomes of the discussion on the petition - a more detailed transcript will be available for viewing in the minutes of the meeting which will be published in due course with the Council agenda for 23rd February 2012.)

Mr Cosgrove opened the debate during which he called upon the Council to reinstate the kerbside cardboard collections.

It was proposed by Mr Hartin and seconded by Mr R Evans that the examination of alternative arrangements for cardboard recycling be referrd to scrutiny to enable further information to be obtained and the most suitable solution to be sought.

On being put to the vote, the motion was defeated, with a substantial majority voting against.

Further discussion ensued, following which the the Portfolio Holder, Mr M Owen, responded and recommended that the petition be rejected.

It was proposed by Mr J Clarke and seconded by Mr J Tandy that the petition be referred to the Performance and Strategy Scrutiny Committee for consideration.  

On being put to the vote, the motion was defeated, with 19 members voting in favour, 44 against and 2 abstentions.