Northumberland
County Council and green group Friends of the Earth have reacted angrily to
reports that household waste from the area has been exported to India for
recycling. The local authority, which is said to be ‘appalled’ over the
news, has instructed waste contractors SITA to process the material locally."We will not tolerate this under any circumstances,” said Northumberland County Council’s Michael Davey. "We will meet our recycling targets in the county but we won't do it by exporting waste overseas. Waste is a worldwide problem - it won't be solved if rich countries ship their problems to poorer countries.”
"Exporting waste to India for recycling wastes energy, causes unnecessary pollution and deprives local people of jobs,” said FoE’s Claire Wilton. “SITA must not put profits before people and the environment. Northumberland's waste should be recycled locally."
FoE has raised additional questions over the worker conditions and standard of work carried out at the factory in which the waste ends up.