WAGG has suggested the island could use the UK strategy

Waste Action Group Guernsey (WAGG) says the island's government should be taking a more proactive stance.

It believes more should be done to encourage people to take responsibility for their waste.

Last month, the Chief Officer of the Environment Department, Steve Smith, said increasing recycling from the current level would be very difficult.

WAGG organiser Gloria Dudley-Owen said she told the Environment Department a month ago about the UK Government's recycling campaign.

She said she suggested the island could use the UK strategy to help increase recycling rates locally. But she has claimed that nothing has been done since.

Mass-burning technology

The UK government has launched a �10m effort to try to increase its recycling rate to 25% by the end of 2005.

WAGG hopes to encourage reducing waste, recycling and composting.

It was formed by concerned islanders who think the need for a waste to energy plant should be re-assessed.

The Bailiwick currently only recycles 18% of its total waste, but the group believes that figure could be substantially increased.

WAGG thinks money spent on education and incentives would reduce the need for an expensive incinerator.

It said it believed the States should be researching alternatives to mass-burning technology as a way of disposing of the island's rubbish.

The group is calling on islanders to make their views known to a panel formed to re-assess waste disposal on Guernsey.