Council Could Ban Freesheets

Westminster Council has told Associated Newspapers and News International that it will ban their afternoon freepapers, the London Lite and thelondonpaper if the companies cannot reach an agreement on the cost of recycling.

The council says that free newspapers generate three to four tonnes of waste every day and it wants the publishers to contribute to the cost of recycling, which will run to £500,000 over two years.

A report in the Guardian quotes Westminster Council as saying: “The council has been negotiating with the publishers of the London Paper and London Lite since January in an effort to tackle the sea of papers which are ending up in street waste.

“But so far neither News International nor Associated Newspapers has made a satisfactory offer which would significantly help meet the £500,000 set-up and running costs of a scheme to ensure the papers end up getting recycled.”

The recycling issue first made headlines in January when Westminster council said that it was considering invoking the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, under which local authorities are able to ban the distribution of free literature if it pollutes the environment (see Council Warns Freesheets Over Waste).

The latest circulation figures, for March of this year, show the thelondonpaper ahead of its rival with a total circulation of around 502,000, whilst the London Lite had a circulation of over 400,200 (see thelondonpaper Remains Ahead Of London Lite).

Associated Newspapers: www.asocciatednewspapers.com News International: 020 7782 3922 www.newscorp.co.uk