Vale Council in the running for two national environment awards - 08/09/06

 

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is delighted to announce that it has been short-listed to win two prestigious national 2006 Green Apple Environment Awards in recognition of the work of it’s waste management department.

 

The annual Green Apple Environment Awards reward and promote environmental best practice by local authorities, commerce and industry around the world.

 

The schemes that have been short-listed are the council’s kerbside collection of garden waste and a schools’ recycling education project based on the popular film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

 

The Council’s garden waste collection service is an excellent example of environmental best practice. All waste collected is sent to a local farm where it is turned into compost before being used as a soil conditioner. In addition to significantly reducing the amount of waste the council sends to landfill this also reduces the distance the waste has to be transported as it is re-used locally.

 

The ‘Charlie’s Challenge’ project involved children from eleven Vale primary schools working with environmental artists to create giant sweets from everyday waste items. In addition to being used to decorate the tea rooms at Dyffryn Gardens during their Autumn events last year, the project helped to educate our younger residents about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

 

Cllr Geoff Cox, Cabinet Member for Visible Services, is delighted that the council has been recognised on a national level. He said: “Last year we won a Green Apple Award for our ‘What’s in your Bin?' campaign and we were thrilled to hear that we have been short-listed for a further two awards this year. These initiatives demonstrate the council’s commitment to developing new environmentally friendly waste collection methods and educating our younger residents about the importance of changing the way we deal with waste”.

 

The awards will be presented at a special ceremony at the Tower of London in November. For further details about the work of the council’s waste management department please contact Visible Services on 029 20 673000 or e-mail visible@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk