The most recent figures issued by Welsh Assembly Government show residents on the Isle of Anglesey recycle the most in Wales.
The government have set challenging recycling targets and Isle of Anglesey County Council has responded with a wide range of recycling initiatives and collection services. Households across the Island have been using these extensively including the introduction of a food waste service that has helped Anglesey take the number one recycling spot.
Isle of Anglesey once had a poor record for recycling, but over the past four years the introduction of an integrated recycling collection service and the dedication of Anglesey residents have taken Anglesey to the top of the recycling league table in Wales. The introduction of a food waste collection service across the island marks the pinnacle of the service.
Councillor Hefin Wyn Thomas, Isle of Anglesey County Council’s Environmental Portfolio Holder, said: “I am very pleased that we can claim to be the top recyclers in Wales. While there is still challenging recycling targets ahead, residents across Anglesey can be proud of their achievement as can all the council officers and collection contractors that make the service run smoothly.”
Jonathan Eastwood, Chief Waste Management Officer, attributes reaching the number one spot to the recent food waste collection service. “Everyone on the Island now receives this service and it has been well researched and designed to make collecting food waste easy and mess free,” reflects Jonathan. The food waste collected goes to an in-vessel composting facility at Penhesgyn where it is combined with green garden waste to make a soil improver. “The soil improver we produce reaches high quality standards and this year we will begin giving it back to residents on specific soil improver give away days where residents can come and collect it for free”, said Jonathan.
Jane Davidson AM, Minister for Environment Sustainability and Housing, who officially opened the composting facility on Anglesey said: “I believe that today’s news is more proof that Wales leads the way in what to do with our waste. I want to thank all our councils for their excellent work, and encourage them to continue working closely together so that they can all feel the economic, social and environmental benefits of high recycling.
“If we are to reach our goals of recycling 70 per cent of our waste by 2025 and being zero waste by 2050 we cannot afford to lose momentum. 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.”
While households on Anglesey can take a moment to give themselves a big pat on the back for their recycling achievement, they will not be resting on their laurels for long. The Council will soon be looking to advise and support them on how to get more out of their collection boxes and thinking about how they can be using items they thought they might throw out as rubbish in a different way.
“The key to being truly sustainable is to look at how we can minimise the waste we produce and to re-use a lot of the items we have. For example small things like taking re-usable bags with you when you go shopping, using leftovers, not buying more food than you need and freezing perishables, not only reduces the rubbish being produced but can also save households money,” says Jonathan Eastwood.
While Isle of Anglesey will enjoy the prestige of being the top recyclers in the county, households can look forward to the challenge of reaching tougher recycling targets knowing they have made fantastic progress already.
