Flintshire Lib Dems are calling for the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance to be extended to include the blind. 

In a motion tabled by Cllr

Robin Baker to be discussed at the next full Council meeting on October 28^th, the Lib Dems highlight the injustice of the current system despite the obvious difficulties blind people endure. 

Cllr Baker, Leader of Flintshire Lib Dems, said: “No one can doubt the difficulties experienced by blind people and the barriers to independent mobility their disability creates. 

“This motion calls on the Government to recognise those difficulties and barriers and provide blind people with a level playing field. 

“Many blind residents find it difficult to access facilities that many of us take for granted – including Council services – without facing additional costs. This campaign aims to redress that injustice and unfairness and help with those costs, particularly at a time when everyone is facing difficult financial times. 

“I hope all members support this campaign,” he added.

 

Members of Flintshire County Council are to visit UPM Shotton this week (Friday 3^rd October 2008) to assess the impact of the renewable energy plant that reduces its carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 tonnes annually. 

The cross party visit, coinciding with Flintshire Business Week, has been arranged to help elected members gain a greater understanding of the technology that has increased UPM Shotton’s self-sufficiency in heat by up to 95% and in power by up to 25%, whilst also reducing carbon dioxide emissions. 

Organised by Cllr Nancy Matthews, Executive Member for Waste Strategy and Management, 18 elected members will meet with senior UPM executives to discuss the success of the investment. 

Cllr Nancy Matthews said: “This visit will give elected members the opportunity to see for themselves the benefits of renewable energy and how it can provide heat and power while also reducing emissions. 

“Embracing new and emerging technologies are going to be vital in developing a sustainable strategy to tackle waste and waste management in the coming years, so it is critical that elected members have an insight into what is available to us. 

“We are working on a new waste strategy to be considered before the end of the current calendar year and this visit will help with its development and with members understanding of the issues we face.”

Well with a title like that and with my responsibility for Waste Strategy and Management at County Hall how could I refuse to head of to the NEC in Birmingham and find out what was happening in the world of RWM! 

The exhibition proved to be extremely productive and informative, leaving me full of ideas and inspiration! From new technologies for dealing with waste and recycling to seminars on new legislation and its impact and live demonstrations of new equipment, all designed to encourage and improve recycling and waste control.  And I also learnt some very interesting facts about the subject while I was there! Here are a few I thought I should share with you along with some links to other sites to help you find out how you could do more to tackle this problem. 

Waste & Recycling factsEach year the

UK generates about 100 million tonnes of waste from households, commerce and industry combined but the majority of this still ends up in landfill. (Source: Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs)It has been estimated that up to 80% of the contents of our dustbins could be recycled or composted. (Source: www.recyclezone.org.uk)

On average, each person in the UK throws away seven times their own body weight (about 500kg) in rubbish every year. (Source: www.wasteonline.org.uk)

Every year each person produces four times as much packaging waste as their luggage allowance on a jumbo jet. (Source: www.wasteonline.org.uk)

Around a third of all the food we buy gets thrown away. If we stopped wasting food it would have the same impact as taking one in five cars off UK roads. (Source: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com)

Around 600 million UK household batteries – weighing the equivalent of 110 Jumbo Jets – are sent to landfill unnecessarily every year. (Source: Waste & Resources Action Programme)

Waste typically costs up to 4% of a company’s turnover. (Source: Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs)

About 98 per cent of FTSE-listed companies now mention the word environment in their annual reports and accounts. (Source: Environment Agency)Computers account for 39% of electronic waste. (Source: Environmental Services Association)