Following the launch of the national Welsh waste strategy, the document has been prepared with the assistance of Cylch (the Wales Community Recycling Network), Keep Wales Tidy and Environment Agency Wales, and calls for all local authorities in Wales publish their strategies by November 2003.
Assembly Minister for Environment Sue Essex said: “Each local authority in Wales will prepare its own detailed plans for managing municipal wastes in line with the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategy, helping progress towards the sustainable management of municipal wastes in Wales.”
The national strategy for Wales, Wise about Waste, was launched in June 2002 to set a minimum target of 40% recycling and composting for municipal waste by 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).
In their municipal waste management strategies, the 22 local authorities in Wales will have to set out plans to end the growth in municipal waste, reduce reliance on landfill, boost recycling and composting, maximise the efficiency of refuse collection, remove hazardous materials from the municipal waste stream, deal with fly-tipping and use more sustainable transport options such as rail or water.
The guidance document runs through the legislation that local authorities must cater for and provides a number of contact details for recycling projects and organisations that may be able to assist with the local municipal waste strategies. The document emphasises the need for waste minimisation and underlines the importance of public consultation. Denbighshire County Council have already begun their consultation for the North Wales regional waste plan (see letsrecycle.com story).
Commenting on the role of Welsh councils in reaching national targets, WLGA deputy environment spokesperson Graham Court said: “Local authorities play a key role in managing municipal wastes in their areas and these strategies will form an important contribution to waste management in Wales.”
The Guidance on Municipal Waste Management Strategies in Wales is now available online.
Register for free to comment