And, while recycling rates continued to edge higher across Wales between July and September last year, the amount of municipal waste generated also appears to be on the rise.
This was the picture from provisional figures released by the Welsh Government today (18 February), which also show recycling of municipal waste on average rose to 57% for the 12 months to the end of September 2015 – a 2% increase on the same period 12 months earlier.
Wales’ average for the July to September period alone also rose, climbing to 60% compared to 58% in 2014. However, these figures are prone to seasonal variations.
While the data only provides a snapshot of recycling progress so far, it prompts concern that many local authorities in Wales may not be on course to achieve the 58% rate for the financial year 2015/16.
The amount of municipal waste generated by local authorities during the Q2 period has also risen to 411,000 tonnes compared to an estimated 403,000 tonnes for the same quarter in 2014.
Ceredigion
Only eight of the 22 councils in Wales reported a decrease in the amount of municipal waste generated compared to the same quarter for 2014, with total municipal arisings up 20% in Ceredigion due to the inclusion of street sweeping tonnages that were not reported in the previous quarter.
The amount of household residual waste generated per person meanwhile rose to 52kg – a 1% increase compared to the same quarter for 2014. A total of 13 authorities reported an increase in residual household waste.
Gwyndaf Parry, of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) Waste Improvement Programme, told letsrecycle.com that overall municipal solid waste is reducing ‘year on year’ and claimed it was difficult to predict future forecasts on the strength of a quarterly report.
He said: “When the targets were set they were supported by local authorities and the WLGA, and since then there has been some changes in terms of economic change, and that has had a knock on effect on waste production.
“There have also been budget cuts for authorities that limited what they can do in terms of service provision. The Welsh Government is reviewing its waste strategy but we are not sure what the outcomes will be.”
“There has been some changes in terms of economic change, and that has had a knock on effect on waste production”
Gwyndaff Parry
Welsh Local Government Association
Mr Parry added that the review would not look at reducing targets, but “just look at the approach” towards meeting them.
Targets
Councils in Wales must meet a number of statutory recycling targets over the next few years culminating in a 70% recycling rate by 2024/25.
To avoid a fine, many councils are now looking at new recycling models to meet the targets – including Conwy which earlier this month proposed introducing four-weekly collections of residual waste across the borough (see letsrecycle.com story).
Register for free to comment