Liberal Democrat candidates are campaigning with Lynne Featherstone MP to improve recycling facilities in Haringey. Their proposals include a comprehensive business recycling scheme, larger green boxes for residents who want them and tougher regulation of street cleaning contractors.

They hope to build on the success of their previous campaigns to get more door-to-door recycling in the borough. The Lib Dems are determined to take control of the Council at the upcoming local elections, and have pledged to put the environment at the centre of their policy commitments, with more and bigger recycling boxes and a scheme for businesses. Many residents complain that their recycling boxes are not large enough to hold everything they can recycle.

Nationally, the party has a strong record on the environment – in the neighbouring borough of Islington, levels of household waste recycling rose enormously after the party won control in 2002.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, comments: “Labour’s record on street cleaning and the environment has been poor. Until they started bowing to pressure from the Lib Dems and others, Haringey recycled just 5% of waste, and they continue to waste money on self serving publicity rather than spending it on cleaning up the borough.”

Ed Butcher, Lib Dem candidate for Stroud Green, comments: “Labour just don’t seem to get the importance of easy recycling for everyone. It’s about real local action now to preserve our planet’s resources for future generations.”