The new strategy, called 'Wise about Waste', sets all local authorities in Wales a minimum target of 40% combined recycling and composting for municipal waste by 2009/10.
Ms Essex said: “This will be achieved not only by recycling and composting but also by minimising the production of waste and its impact on the environment, and – where practicable – the use of energy from waste and landfill.”
The assembly government will provide an additional 79 million in order to achieve the new targets, which are an improvement on the Waste Strategy 2000 targets for England and Wales of 33%.
Consultation
The new strategy has been produced through a consultative process that has particularly focussed on the community sector.
Mal Williams, chief executive of Cylch, the Wales community recycling network, said: “It's been the result of an inclusive process with full consultation – there wasn't the same mistake as they made in England – and we're particularly pleased the community sector was well represented.”
Cylch are still pushing the Welsh Assembly to move towards a zero waste strategy, an approach they say would create up to 9,000 jobs.
Mr Williams said: “It is important to realise that re-use and recycling is not waste management – it’s resource conservation. New systems need new thinking but the dividends in terms of jobs, businesses, social and environmental benefit are enormous if we get it right.”
Funding increase
The Welsh Environmental Services Association, which represents the managers of waste and secondary resources in Wales, welcomed the new strategy for Wales. However, WESA's executive committee chairman, Adrian Stewart, warned that the waste strategy cannot be delivered by one sector alone.
Mr Stewart said: “Wise about Waste rightly identifies the role of local authorities and the contribution to waste collection of the community sector, but the role of the waste management industry – 0.5% of UK GDP – is also crucial.”
The WESA chairman added that waste management funding will have to increase substantially over the next ten years if Wales is to catch up with European recycling rates. Wales currently landfills over 90% of its waste.
“Whilst the announcement of 79 million to support recycling is welcome,” Mr Stewart said, “WESA believes that full funding of Wales' waste strategy over the full term of its delivery must be signalled by the
Assembly.”
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