Wales recycles 45 per cent of its municipal waste

Wales recycled or composted 45 per cent of its municipal waste between July and September 2010, up four percentage points on the same period in 2009.

Anglesey and Denbighshire had the highest recycling rate, at 57 per cent and Bridgend, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and Wrexham also recycled or composted at least half their waste.

Bridgend increased its recycling rate by the largest amount. In July – September 2009 it recycled 33 per cent of its waste, compared to a year later when it recycled 51 per cent.

The amount of municipal waste Wales produced decreased from 432,000 thousand tonnes in July – September 2009 to 409,000 thousand tonnes in July – September 2010 and the amount of household waste produced per person decreased from 77 kg to 68 kg.

Wales is the first country in the UK to adopt statutory recycling targets for municipal waste. The first statutory target will be 52 per cent for 2012 – 2013, rising gradually to 70 per cent by 2025.

Environment Minister Jane Davidson said: "We need to continue developing the sort of services - such as weekly food waste collections - that will give us the best chance of reaching this ambition, and every council, every community, every business and every home needs to play its part in delivering the high recycling Wales deserves."

Further information:
Welsh Assembly Government