Carmarthenshire joins in National Recycle Week

This year Recycle Week 2014 takes place from June 16-22. The event aims to raise awareness of recycling more items at home and, this year, using recycling bins away from the home too.

As part of the national event, Carmarthenshire County Council will continue to promote recycling across the county, including at the Carmarthenshire National Eisteddfod Community Day at the National Botanic Garden on Saturday, June 14.

Recycling Advisors will be out and about in the community offering advice and encouraging residents to increase their recycling. Officers have been talking to community groups such as Cwmann WI and Meidrim Senior Citizens.

Recycling rates in Carmarthenshire are continuing to soar, from just 9.4% in 2003 to an impressive 55.74% to date. But with a 70% recycling target to meet by 2025 there is still a long way to go.

Executive Board Member for Technical Services Cllr Colin Evans said: “The people of Carmarthenshire should pat themselves on the back for a job well done; but there’s still a long way to go, and with a little more effort and thought, we can recycle even more.”

A number of initiatives are available to help residents in the county to recycle including community recycling advisors; help for the over 50s to recycle glass and a further four recycling banks for small electrical appliances have recently been placed in locations across the county, bringing the total to 14.

“It’s not just the kitchen we should be thinking about when it comes to recycling,” said Cllr Evans. “We accumulate rubbish from every room in the house, much of which can be recycled – think about toilet roll tubes in the bathroom, clothing tags and cosmetic boxes in the bedroom and newspapers and magazines in the lounge – they can all be recycled.”

Residents are also being urged to ‘Recycle on the Go’ and use the street litter recycling bins in towns and villages throughout the county.

For more information visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/recycling