Editorial: Let's see you rubbish recycling, Mr Pickles
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A new front has opened on the furious political battlefield that is rubbish collection. Eric Pickles, the Conservative Communities Secretary, has threatened to withdraw funding from local councils that fail to run a weekly service, fulminating against "Labour myths" and claiming there is "no plausible reason" for less frequent bin collection. Except it appears that there is – and a very good one, too.
According to figures from elsewhere in Whitehall, nine of the 10 councils that have cut rubbish rounds to fortnightly – a practice somewhat emotively labelled "lazy and unnecessary" by Mr Pickles' department – have seen a sharp rise in recycling. Part of Surrey, for example, now recycles almost double what it did.
We await, with interest, the counterattack from Mr Pickles and his fellow once-a-weekers. An impassioned denial of the merits of recycling, perhaps.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments