The campaign will use children as spokespeople with the message “It's our future… please don't throw it away.” The adverts highlight the problems that Wales will face if habits do not change and explains that by recycling more each family could reduce its waste by 60%.
Councillor Richard Parry Hughes, chairperson for WAW, said: “We hope that this campaign will not only promote awareness of sustainable waste issues, but also encourage people to act on what they see.
“Recycling is easier now than it has ever been – kerbside collection schemes have increased significantly and there are many easily-accessible recycling facilities all over Wales for people to use at their convenience. Our landfill sites are filling up quickly and we all need to rethink the way that we dispose of our waste. By reducing, reusing or recycling it we can save resources, conserve energy, cut pollution and create jobs,” he said.
Target
Wales increased its recycling rate from 12.7% in 2002/03 to 17.6% in 2003/04, but WAW believes there is still some way to go if the principality is to reach its 2010 target of 40%. The organisation believes these adverts will help to achieve this target.
Speaking at the campaign launch, first minister Rhodri Morgan said: “The level of household waste produced in Wales rises by 3% each year. Despite this we have almost trebled the percentage of municipal waste that is recycled from 6.5% to almost 18% since the Welsh Assembly came into pass.
“I am confident that this campaign will build on that success, aiming at that ambitious 40% target by 2010. We have to help people to see it as a valuable resource that can be used to our benefit, rather than simply as disposable rubbish.”
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