00:00All local authorities in the West Midlands will introduce some form of food waste collection by the end of the
00:05year, according to the Environment Minister, Mary Cray.
00:09Councils had originally been expected to begin weekly collections from April, but more than a quarter of English authorities are
00:16now forecast to miss that deadline, following a BBC investigation.
00:20Some councils have cited delays in securing specialist vehicles and concerns about funding, despite more than £340 million in grants
00:31from DEFRA.
00:32Ms Cray, who is also the Labour MP for Coventry East, said it was better to roll the service out
00:39carefully rather than rush and risk mistakes.
00:42She said too much food waste was still going to landfill, contributing to gas emissions and unpleasant smells, and argued
00:50it could instead be reused for fertiliser or converted into green gas and electricity to help power homes and businesses
00:58locally.
01:00She added she believed residents would support the changes, noting that many councils already operate similar schemes and that recycling
01:08rates have stalled in recent years.
01:10There is also a national target to raise recycling levels to 65% by 2035, set by the Government for
01:19Councils in England.
01:21On fly tipping, she said authorities should use existing powers to seize vehicles and also they should report unlicensed waste
01:29operators.
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