The Sheffield Green Party are calling for a bigger commitment to recycling from the Liberal Democrat run council after the city was ranked the seventh most sustainable city in the country.David Hayes, the co-chair of Sheffield’s Green Party, said: "Although sustainability looks good on paper, in terms of recycling in reality it is not so good."
He said that Sheffield’s Green Party aims to raise awareness of three key issues: waste, renewable energy, and problems with terraced houses.
In terms of waste the Green Party cite a contract with waste management company Veolia as a key block to sustainability.
Mr. Hayes said: "The contract makes it inefficient for Veolia to increase recycling rates. Veolia are not pushing the recycling of tin and plastics as plastics are going in to the incinerator."
He claimed that although it may appear that Sheffield is improving sustainability with a dedication to recycling, Veolia are ignoring the profitable recycling of plastic as it is currently being used to power their incinerator.
Veolia Environmental Services currently has a contract with Sheffield City Council to be in charge of all waste disposals, including the Berners Road incinerator, until 2036.
Mr. Hayes also suggested that the Liberal Democrats have marketed the creation of a wind turbine in theory, but in reality this project has not yet been granted planning permission, suggesting a lack of dedication to the search for renewable energy.
Mr. Hayes raised concerns about the planning application for an E-ON biomass generator, questioning its sustainability due to the modes of transport that are necessary to carry the biomass to and from the generator.
"Terraced houses need to be looked at. Sheffield’s terraced houses, on the whole, do not have cavity walls and as such are inefficient to heat.
Improving insulation will increase the sustainability of the houses," he said.
Sheffield Council has just been awarded a £50,000 grant to give advice about insulation in these houses.
It is suggested that University of Sheffield students can help improve Sheffield’s sustainability by reusing devices rather than recycling them.
The survey, compiled by the Forum for the Future Sustainable Development Group, is designed as a guide to help councillors and citizens assess their achievement in terms of sustainability and how than can do better.
The cities are judged according to 13 indicators in three areas: the environment, the quality of life in the city and future proofing.
The indicators include air quality and commitment to recycling, unemployment rates, and commitments to climate change and sustainable energy.
The table of 20 cities was headed by Bristol, which was voted the most sustainable due to the city’s dedication to recycling.
In addition, it was credited as being Britain’s first cycling city due to an £11million scheme to encourage more people to ride their bikes rather than use their cars. Last year Sheffield also rated seventh in the rankings.
Sheffield Council has just been awarded a £50,000 grant to give advice about insulation in these houses.
It is suggested that University of Sheffield students can help improve Sheffield’s sustainability by reusing devices rather than recycling them.
The survey, compiled by the Forum for the Future Sustainable Development Group, is designed as a guide to help councillors and citizens assess their achievement in terms of sustainability and how than can do better.
The cities are judged according to 13 indicators in three areas: the environment, the quality of life in the city and future proofing.
The indicators include air quality and commitment to recycling, unemployment rates, and commitments to climate change and sustainable energy.
The table of 20 cities was headed by Bristol, which was voted the most sustainable due to the city’s dedication to recycling.
In addition, it was credited as being Britain’s first cycling city due to an £11million scheme to encourage more people to ride their bikes rather than use their cars. Last year Sheffield also rated seventh in the rankings.
Victoria Ryves
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