20% more food waste composted

RESIDENTS in the Llwynhendy and Penyfan areas are composting 20% more food waste.

It follows a monitoring and doorknocking exercise carried out in the communities over a three month period.

Recycling advisors visited households to encourage them to recycle as much of their rubbish as possible.

They were able to explain to residents what items could be recycled using their blue bags and why it was important to use their food bins every week so that any food waste is composted rather than sent to landfill.

Officers had replacement food bins and extra blue bags for those that needed them as well as information booklets and collection calendars.

Meetings were held with residents associations and other community groups.

Residents were also invited to give feedback and thanks to their suggestions Tyisha Post Office is now stocking blue bags and garden waste bags.

Executive Board Member for Street Scene Cllr Colin Evans said: “We were delighted with the increase in the amount of food being composted. The recycling advisors are doing a fantastic job by getting out into the community and helping residents to recycle.

“I would also like to thank householders for doing their bit. I am sure that if we all work together we can continue to increase our recycling rate.”

As part of the exercise, residents were entered into a prize draw with two pairs of cinema tickets and two recycling goodie bags to be won.

Winners of the cinema ticket were Wendy Gordge of Ilston, Penyfan; and Kathryn Edgell of Ynyslas, Llwynhendy. Goodie bags were won by Sharon Aubrey of Graig Avenue, Penyfan; and Mark Davies of Tir Einon, Llwynhendy.

The council has received funding from the European Regional Development Fund, through the Welsh Government, for the recycling advisor posts.

It forms part of the South West Wales Materials Efficiency project with Pembrokeshire County Council.

The aim of the project is to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by promoting reuse and recycling.