Mayor must end the daily plague of discarded free newspapers across London'- Mike Tuffrey

7.00.00pm GMT Tue 20th Jan 2009

The Mayor of London has been challenged by Mike Tuffrey, the leader of the Liberal Democrat Assembly Group to end the 'plague' of free newspapers left on tubes, buses and trains.

Mike Tuffrey said:

"It is estimated that 1.6 million free newspapers are distributed in London everyday, yet only a small proportion of them are being recycled.

"Commuters and travellers face a daily plague of free newspapers left on seats and the floors of tube trains, London buses and commuter trains. After a quick read the newspapers are quickly disposed of. As there are few litter bins, let alone recycling facilities, they often end up making an unsightly mess before finally becoming landfill. Of course people should be more responsible in how they dispose of their newspapers, but the lack of accessible recycling facilities makes this hard.

"I have raised this issue on many occasions at City Hall and I will press Boris Johnson at the next Mayor's Question Time.

"Reduced litter and much higher rates of recycling could easily be achieved if there was a real will to act. Some small initiatives have already been taken by the newspapers, but we now need co-ordinated steps by Transport for London, the newspapers themselves and local councils to ensure that recycling facilities can easily be used by anyone travelling by public transport.

"There also needs to be far more recycling facilities on London's streets, including facilities near to every tube, train and DLR station.

"Boris Johnson talks about creating a 'coalition' to tackle the plague of free newspapers left on London's Transport network. He needs to quickly deliver on this pledge and ensure that across the whole of London it is as easy to recycle a free newspaper as it is to pick one up."

Ends

Notes to editors

1. Copy of Mike Tuffrey's questions to Boris Johnson at the next Mayor's Question Time on Tuesday 27 January 2009:

Free Sheets 1

How have your plans to "build a coalition of those who either produce free sheets or have responsibility for recycling free sheets with a view to increasing opportunities for commuters and pedestrians to recycle their newspapers" progressed? [Q. 2422/2008]

Mike Tuffrey

Free Sheets 2

What plans does Transport for London have to work with distributors, such as the London Paper, to set up collection points on TfL property?

Mike Tuffrey

2. Copy of Mike Tuffrey's last question to Mayor, which was answered on the 12 November 2008.

Question number 2422/2008

Meeting date 12/11/2008

Question by Mike Tuffrey

Despite my regular questioning, the previous Mayor refused to commit to getting the publishers of the various free newspapers now in circulation in London to pay for the full cost of recycling their papers left on the Tube and Bus network or dumped in the streets. Will you urge the publishers of these newspapers and

free magazines to pay for an increase in the number of places where people can recycle their papers/magazines once read?

Answer by Boris Johnson

I agree that more can and should be done to increase the recycling of free newspapers, as well as paid for newspapers. I would like to build a coalition of those who either produce free sheets or have responsibility for recycling free sheets with a view to increasing opportunities for commuters and pedestrians to recycle their newspapers.

In an ideal world every public litter bin in London should also offer recycling facilities. I am aware the Environment Committee will be looking at recycling on the go and would hope options for how this could be promoted are investigated as part of that review.

3. Mike Tuffrey is a member of the London Assembly's Environment Committee, which is currently examining proposals to assist recycling for people who are travelling.

4. In January 2008 the publishers of London's free evening newspapers set up a deal with Westminster Council to allow limited recycling of newspapers in central London. Associated Newspapers, publisher of London Lite and NI Free Newspapers Ltd, which publishes thelondonpaper, paid for 70 newspaper recycling bins to be placed at 56 sites across the West End.

5. According to TfL's 2008 environment report TfL recycle 38% of their commercial and industrial, which includes passenger waste. However, the total waste increased by 19% between 2007 and 2008, largely due to the growth of free newspapers.

6. Tube Lines collect and segregate newspaper waste left behind by customers. Due to the increase in free newspapers they stepped up their efforts to keep trains clear of litter and in 2007 doubled the overall amount of paper collected to over 2000 tonnes, compared to 806 tonnes in 2006