18/02/2009

Landfill Benefit Hits £1bn

Contributions from landfill operators to the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) hit £1bn today, it has been announced.

The fund, introduced in 1996 to redress some of the environmental costs of landfill, has benefited more than 24,000 local projects.

Angela Eagle, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: "The fund is an excellent example of the Government and the private and charity sectors working together to make local communities better places to live.

"Some 2,500 environmental bodies alone are involved in the scheme. Parks, community centres, historic buildings and youth volunteer environment schemes have all benefited."

Funds from the LCF help redress some of the environmental costs of landfill by improving the environment in the vicinity of landfill sites. Projects benefiting include reclaimed land, improvements to community facilities, repairs to places of worship and habitat creation in support of biodiversity.

The LCF works by allowing landfill site operators to claim a tax credit of the contributions they make to Environmental Bodies (EBs) for spending on specified projects.

(JM/KMcA)

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