County achieves highest ever recycling rates – as scheme reaches end of first 12 months

Pembrokeshire has witnessed a huge surge in recycling.

Last year (April 2019 – April 2020), a total of 72% of all household waste was recycled – a whopping 10% more than the previous year.

Cllr Cris Tomos, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said the figures were ‘exceptional’.

“Pembrokeshire is recycling more than ever before,” he said.

“I’d like to thank each and every person who has helped towards this.

“Sometimes you might wonder if putting a plastic bottle in the red bag rather than the bin makes a difference – or if it’s really worth putting an apple core in the food bin.

“Well, when you look at the numbers you can see it definitely does.

“This has been achieved by all of us working hard together.”

The figures have been announced as Pembrokeshire’s new waste and recycling kerbside collection scheme reaches the end of its first 12 months.

Cllr Tomos said it was a major factor behind the boost in figures.

“The scheme was launched in early November 2019 and immediately started having a very significant impact,” he said.

“It has contributed to the highest recycling figures we have ever seen.

“In fact, they are so high that Pembrokeshire is well on the way to meeting the Welsh Government’s target of Zero Waste by 2050.  

“Quite simply, people can recycle a wider range of items from home than before – and they are.”

The breakdown in the increased recycling (including material collected in the kerbside collection scheme, waste and recycling centres and ‘bring’ sites) is as follows: 

·         Red bag materials (plastics, metal packaging and tetra-pak): increase of 39%

·         Cardboard (blue bags): increase of 38%

·         Food waste:increase of 34%

·         Glass: increase of 19% 

At the same time, the amount of grey bag material generated in Pembrokeshire and residual waste has fallen by more than a third.

“This increase in recycling – and the decrease in residual waste through the three-weekly collections of no more than three grey bags – really shows how households have adapted to the new system and are continuing to reuse or recycle more,” said Cris.

“I would also like to thank our fantastic crews who have worked incredibly hard during a difficult year and helped to make this all possible. We are very grateful indeed to them.”