Brent has been chosen as one of six areas in the UK to take a zero tolerance approach to waste - thanks to an ecofriendly mother of seven.

The borough has been named as a 'zero waste place' by the Government and will go as far as possible to totally banish the environmental impacts of waste from businesses, homes and the wider community.

The scheme, announced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair's, also includes Lewisham, Stanley Church End, in Milton Keynes, Kings Lynn, in Norfolk, Peterborough and the West Midlands.

Along with Brent, they will become the leading lights in good environmental practice and be the models for the rest of the country.

Newly appointed farming and environment minister, Jane Kennedy, said: "These six Zero Waste Places will test what can be done to make it easier for people and businesses to change the way they view and deal with waste."

The borough was chosen for the scheme after the government were impressed by the work of mother-of-seven Lorraine Skinner.

She dreamed up the idea of having areas where there was an emphaisis on recycling named the Green Zones. There are now five in Brent.

Mrs Skinner said: "It's fantastic that this is going to be an example to the rest of the country. Green Zones are about personal contact. If you have a neighbour knocking on your door giving you advice, it works."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will support Brent to create a total of 20 zones by September 2009 and encourage other areas to set them up.

Brent Council leader, Councillor Paul Lorber, said: "I'm delighted that Brent has been chosen as one of just a handful of 'Zero Waste Places' in the UK.

"Brent Council is pioneering new ways to be more environ-mentally-friendly and it is fantastic to be recognised for our work.

"There are many local people and organisations working closely with us, through schemes such as the Green Zones, to make the borough a greener place. I want to thank them for all their hard work."

Viv Stein, spokesperson for Brent Friends of the Earth said: "This will certainly put Brent residents on the map in leading the way to reducing waste for a greener future."

Recycling was made compulsory in Brent in August and since the new laws were implemented, nearly 13,000 extra residents have ordered a green box.

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