A new report, published by the Welsh Government, shows that between April 2011 and March 2012 Wales’s local authorities reused or recycled almost 800,000 tonnes, while the amount of waste sent to landfill fell to around 700,000 tonnes. This means that for the first time Wales recycled more than it sent to landfill.
“Wales is the only country in the UK which recycles more than it sends to landfill,” says Minister for Natural Resources, Alun Davies. “Recycling not only benefits the environment but also supports the economy through the creation of jobs in the waste and resource management industry. This is why the collection of high quality recyclate is central to our plans as it can be reprocessed here in Wales – retaining our resources, creating local employment and stimulating Welsh markets.”
The report is the first to examine a 12 month period and provides a more detailed account of the end destination of recycled material than the previous report. The Welsh Government will continue to work with partner organisations to make future reports more informative for local authorities and householders.
The Minister adds: “I hope the report, which shows that our waste is being used as a valuable resource that can be recycled or re-manufactured here in Wales, encourages people to continue recycling and even start recycling more materials more often.”