Welsh Government commits £50m to improve recycling

It will be consulting on new statutory guidance for councils and new regulations to require businesses to separate their waste in the way households do

The Welsh Government has pledged £50 million of funding over the next three years to tackle waste and improve recycling rates.

Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn announced a new £500,000 behaviour change and enforcement campaign, working in partnership with local authorities and WRAP, that will aim to raise public awareness of what households should recycle.

She also confirmed recycling grants for local authorities will not be reduced to fund other council services while committing an extra £15.5 million to improve waste collections in the Vale of Glamorgan, Pembrokeshire and Denbighshire.

The government will be consulting on new statutory guidance for councils and new regulations to require businesses to separate their waste in the way households do.

The municipal recycling rate in Wales is currently 64%, against a national target of 58%, however, recent studies have shown more than half of waste put into black bins in the country could be recycled.

Ms Blythyn said: “Recycling is a Welsh success story and something we should be proud of.

“But we want to do more. Improving recycling rates again will require further support and more concerted and intensive interventions. That is why I am announcing new measures to build on our success to date. Over the next three years, we are providing more than £50 million of capital to provide new infrastructure and ultimately help realise our ambition. We’re also working with local government to increase their ability to recycle items like mattresses, nappies, wood and textiles.”

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