Just say no
Local politics can be challenging and rewarding, but it can be hard. Two of our local councillors sit on the Planning Board which will soon have to decide whether to give Viridor the go ahead to dump more ‘active waste’ into Parkwood (see page 8)
Parkwood is part of the largest green space in Sheffield, close to the city centre and our homes. It has Burngreave caught in a toxic sandwich between the landfill and the hugh incinerator being built on the other side of the hill. Of course waste has to go somewhere, but we could recycle more. Latest figures (2003–4) show Sheffield is in the bottom quarter of authorities, recycling only 12% of the city’s waste.
Councillors always have to balance the interests of different groups and organisations, local, city-wide and national issues, but they are also elected to represent us. Residents have been campaigning for years, saying Parkwood isn’t the place for active waste. The Messenger joins their calls on our councillors to ‘just say no’ to even more of the stuff.