Carmarthenshire uses only 61% of landfill allowance

NEW figures show Carmarthenshire has again reduced the amount of waste it is sending to landfill.

During 2010/11 the county sent 20,603 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) to landfill – that’s just 61% of its 33,919 tonnes allowance.

The figures have been revealed in the Landfill Allowances Scheme for Wales annual report, published by the Environment Agency Wales.

The Landfill Allowances Scheme (LAS) limits the amount of biodegradable municipal waste – such as paper, cardboard and kitchen scraps – that councils are allowed to send to landfill. And if council exceed these limits, it can lead to fines.

Reducing the amount of waste going to landfill also helps to cut greenhouse gas emissions, as methane produced by the breakdown of BMW in a landfill can be up to 25 times worse than carbon dioxide.

The aim is to encourage the reduction, recycling, composting and treatment of this type of waste.

Carmarthenshire was one of eight local authorities in Wales to be singled out for using the least amount of its allowances (no more than 70 per cent).

The council’s Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said the figures show the success of the green bin/blue bag recycling scheme which was launched in February 2008 and is now serving approximately 78,000 households across the county.

He said: “It is important that we reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill by recycling and composting more of our waste. The green bin/blue bag scheme has been extremely successful and I would like to thank residents’ for their co-operation in separating their waste.

“However, a lot more work needs to be done if we are to achieve future targets. We will be rolling out the green bin/blue bag scheme to the remaining households in Carmarthenshire this financial year. We are also carrying out a number of initiatives such as a partnership with Age Concern to help older people with recycling and a pilot to 8,000 households to try and increase participation in the food waste scheme.”

The Landfill Allowances Scheme was launched in 2004 and all 22 local authorities in Wales have achieved their 2010/11 allowances.

Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes welcomed the figures for Carmarthenshire.

He said: “It is vital we reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill, we all have a significant role to play, by thinking carefully about our shopping habits and about how we can reduce our waste in general.

“Not only is landfill the least sustainable method of managing our waste but failure to meet future targets could result in financial penalties running into millions of pounds. Reducing the amount of rubbish that goes into landfill also helps in the battle against climate change. By working together we can make a real difference and improve our environment for future generations.”