Carmarthenshire’s future waste strategy scrutinised by councillors

Plans to increase Carmarthenshire’s recycling rate have been scrutinised by councillors ahead of a final decision by the county council’s Cabinet later this month.

A future waste strategy has been developed to help the council achieve a 70 per cent recycling rate by 2025 and zero waste by 2050.

The plan would see residents receive weekly blue bag recycling collections instead of fortnightly as at present, together with three-weekly kerbside collections of glass.

The weekly collection of food waste will remain, and anything left over that can’t yet be recycled would then be collected in black bags every three weeks.

By 2024 kerbside recycling will increase further, with weekly glass collections together with collection of textiles, small domestic appliances and batteries.

The plan is geared towards helping people reduce, re-use and recycle as much as possible, with very little or no waste having to go in black bags.

The proposals were discussed by the Environmental and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee which has made recommendations to the council’s Cabinet where a final decision will be made next week (Monday October 11).

Carmarthenshire County Council currently collects waste and recycling from around 91,000 households every week, picking up mixed recycling in blue bags and ‘residual waste’ in black bags every other week, with food waste collected from green bins every week.

Collection of bulky household waste items and garden waste is offered as a paid-for service, in addition to a network of community recycling sites and three main household waste recycling centres.

Whilst the county has a history of exceeding recycling targets, it has struggled to meet stricter targets in recent years and has made several policy changes to respond and react.

The authority has also made a commitment towards tackling climate change, declaring a climate emergency and committing to become net carbon zero by 2030.

Cllr Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

“Our future waste strategy has been developed to help us meet future recycling targets of 70 per cent by 2024/25 and the expected 80 per cent target by 2030.
“But this is not just about meeting targets – we want to support our residents and communities to do more, to reduce their waste and increase what they re-use and recycle. We have carried out an extensive engagement exercise and taken on board many of the suggestions made – including glass collections from the kerbside.
“Sharing this plan with the Environmental and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee is the first step in the process, and I look forward to presenting the report and their recommendations to Cabinet next week.”