To mark the start of Recycle Week 2019, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government Hannah Blythyn has announced ambitious proposals to increase recycling rates from businesses and the public sector in Wales.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
A new consultation launched today includes proposals for new regulations to require any non-domestic premises to separate their recyclable materials from residual, or non-recyclable, waste.
Under the proposals, companies or local authorities who collect waste would be required to collect recyclable materials separately and keep them separate. They will also ban businesses from disposing of food waste via the sewer.
Hannah Blythyn said:
“Wales is already leading the way in the UK when it comes to recycling but I want us to go further and make Wales the number one recycling nation in the world. The recent Eunomia Local Authority Recycling Carbon Index showed that Wales remains by some distance the country in the UK which achieves the greatest carbon saving per head from local authority recycling.
“But we can do more. We have set ourselves ambitious targets for 70% of waste to be recycled by 2025 and to achieve this we all have to play our part.
“The new proposals for regulations being published today under Part 4 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 will help and support businesses to meet this target. I hope all those affected by these regulations that we propose to introduce will take part in the consultation and give us their views.
“Meeting our targets will also support Wales’ progress towards a circular economy, where resources are kept in use for as long as possible and products and materials are recovered and regenerated at the end of each product’s life.
“This will have multiple positive benefits for the economy, jobs and the environment, from saving costs to businesses through avoiding landfill disposals tax to generating jobs within the waste management sector. By working together I’m confident we can become the top recycling nation in the world.”