On Friday 14th March the Doorstep Recycling Bill, drawn up by Friends of the Earth, will be introduced to the UK Parliament as a Private Members Bill by Lewisham Deptford MP, Joan Ruddock.

The Bill calls for 50% of the UK's municipal waste to be recycled or composted by the end of 2010.

In order for this to be achieved the Bill calls for recycling targets + strategies to be drawn up, for the relevant authorities to encourage waste minimisation, recycling + reuse, and for door-step recycling schemes to be established nationwide so that householders are able to dispose of their waste sustainably.

At present the UK recycles around 12% of its waste, with some local authorities recycling as little as 1%.

By comparison some other countries such as Austria (64 %) and Belgium (52%) have a far more impressive waste record!

Friends of the Earth estimate that comprehensive doorstep recycling has backing from more than half of all MPs (384 out of 659) but this reasonable and practical Bill will only become law if enough turn up and vote when it is debated in the House of Commons this Friday...

This might be a good time to Fax Your MP!