Ceredigion Council still top when it comes to recycling

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Climate Change and Rural Affairs Simon Thomas has welcomed that Plaid led Ceredigion Council continues to be the top council in Wales for recycling.

Latest provisional figures for Wales for the 12 months to March 2017 revealed an increase of 4% on the previous year’s recycling rate of 60%.

Wales is ahead of the rest of the UK, second in Europe and third in world recycling league tables.

Plaid Cymru Mid and West AM Simon Thomas said: “I’m pleased to see Plaid led Ceredigion Council is top of the recycling league in Wales. The county is recycling 70% of its waste and hitting the 2025 target nine years early.

“Wales is showing the way to the world when it comes to recycling and Ceredigion is innovative in its approach and leading the way nationally.

“Congratulations to Councillor Alun Williams Ceredigion Cabinet member for Carbon Management; Sustainability and his team.

“We must do more, here in Wales we now have considerable powers to reduce our use and waste of plastics which we are not using.

“The single most effective action would be to recycle all plastic bottles, which account for 33% of marine litter, through a deposit return scheme. Earlier this year I secured majority support in principle in the Assembly for a deposit return scheme.

“A deposit-return scheme, would mean customers pay a small additional charge for plastic bottles. They would be paid back when they return the empties. This would encourage people who do not already recycle and will introduce an element of resource saving into our economy. This scheme could be available for plastic cans and bottles as well as metal and glass ones.

“I’m calling on the Labour Government in Wales to consider the introduction of such a scheme so Wales can continue to lead the way in the world when it comes to recycling our waste.”