The Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside, Carwyn Jones, said the funding would go to waste minimisation and recycling awareness campaigns, research into new markets for compost and into the future management of hazardous waste.
Announcing the funding today, Mr Jones said: “The Assembly Government has already allocated some 22 million to local authorities in 2003-04, as part of 75 million over four years, to help them meet challenging but achievable recycling targets set out in its waste strategy Wise About Waste. Today's funding, on top of what we have given to local authorities, will significantly build on our commitment to reduce the amount of waste we produce and increase the amount we recycle and compost.”
The funding forms part of the Welsh Assembly government's strategy to recycle and compost 40% of municipal waste by 2009-10. At the moment, around 93% of Welsh municipal waste goes to landfill.
Cllr Graham Court, deputy environment spokesperson at the Welsh Local Government Association, said: “Local authorities welcome these extra resources to assist in the delivery and implementation of their waste strategies. Authorities have to meet strenuous targets over the next few years, working in partnership with the community, private and public sector. This money will compliment that already invested in changing the hearts and minds of all to recycle more and produce less.”
Community sector
One of the projects benefiting from the funding is the Strategic Recycling Scheme, developed by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and supported by the Environment Agency Wales. It will receive 6.8 million over three years to promote the reduction, recycling and composting of municipal waste by councils and community sector partnerships.
Dave Maggs, WCVA assistant chief executive said: “WCVA is looking forward to working closely with the Assembly Government and our partners to provide funding for communities to achieve sustainable resource management. The Strategic Recycling Scheme will deliver large-scale grants to fund new, ambitious strategic waste minimisation, re use, recycling and reprocessing operations in every corner of Wales.”
Mal Williams, chief executive of Cylch, the Wales Community Recycling Network, said that the funding announcement demonstrated the Welsh Assembly government's recognition of the importance of the community recycling sector.
He said: “The community recycling sector in Wales employs over 300 people in 50 projects in local communities helping to divert waste from landfill. It collects and markets an undervalued resource in Wales for the benefit of the community. This announcement highlights the level of commitment that the Assembly Government is putting behind not only recycling but the community sector's involvement – we can certainly prove our worth now.”
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