Welsh local authorities reused, recycled and composted 53% of municipal waste in the first quarter of 2011/12, according to provisional data published by the Welsh Government today (November 22).
The latest figure represents a three percentage point increase from the same period in 2011/12. The data was published in Local Authority Municipal Waste Management April June 2012 release. The release details provisional quarterly results of waste and recycling from Welsh local authorities which is gathered from the Environment Agencys WasteDataFlow system.
In addition to an increase in the recycling rate, the amount of local authority municipal waste generated in the country has decreased with tonnages for Q1 2012/13 3% lower than the same quarter in 2011/12. The amount of residual household waste produced per person in Wales has also decreased with a 9% reduction in Q1 2012/13 compared to the same quarter the previous year.
Looking at the rolling year to June 2012, the recycling rate for Welsh local authorities remained at 50%.
Local authority municipal waste includes household and non-household waste that is collected and disposed of by local authorities. It includes household waste and recycling collections, bulk waste collections, waste received at civic amenity sites and waste from non-household sources. Previously the quarterly data was based on the amount of waste collected for reuse, recycling or composting but this was amended from April 1 2012 to waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting.
Delighted
Environment Minister John Griffiths said he was delighted by the results. Speaking at the Waun Gron recycling centre in Cardiff he said: I am delighted that Wales is now recycling or composting more than half of its municipal waste. These impressive statistics are the result of the hard work of Waless local authorities, and the excellent efforts of householders in separating out their waste for recycling.
This achievement is largely the result of every local authority in Wales providing a weekly food collection service and householders embracing the system so enthusiastically. Separating out food waste not only diverts significant waste away from landfill, it also makes us far more aware of the food we are wasting, which can often result in reduced waste and lower food bills.
Mr Griffiths added that Wales must keep the momentum going to ensure that it can meet its challenging targets. Wales is the only country in the UK to introduce statutory recycling targets for municipal waste working towards a 52% recycling rate by 2012/13, 70% by 2025 and achieving zero waste by 2050.
Councils
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Denbighshire pushed ahead to claim the top spot as the council with the highest recycling rate, reaching 58%, for the 12 months to the end of June 2012. Caerphilly came second with a 57% recycling rate followed by Monmouthshire and Ceredigion both with 56%.
At the bottom of the table the Welsh councils with the lowest recycling rate were Neath Port Talbot and Rhondda Cynon Taf with 43%. This is significantly higher than the worst performers in England Ashfords recycling rate for 2011/12 was 14%. However the Welsh Government notes that all local authorities in the country operate separate food or food and green waste collections.
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