RESIDENTS in Swansea are being urged to use kerbside recycling services and help reduce the amount of rubbish currently being sent to landfill.
Green-minded residents in the city have helped push the recycling rate up to just over 38 per cent, according to Welsh Assembly Government statistics for the period from April to June this year.
The rate is a five per cent increase on the same quarter last year but increased recycling in other towns and cities in Wales puts Swansea in 16th place in Wales in terms of performance.
A report issued by the Local Government Data Unit recently also indicated that in 2008/09 Swansea sent well over 60 per cent of its municipal waste to landfill sites.
Councils throughout the UK face tough challenges in terms of strict landfill allowances with the prospect of financial penalties for going over these allowances.
Swansea Council is doing everything it can to stay well within its set allowance but needs the help of residents if it is to succeed.
John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment in Swansea Council, said: “The Council has introduced a wide range of kerbside recycling schemes to make it as easy as possible for residents to recycle domestic waste.
“I’m delighted that some residents are using these services but it’s clear a lot of residents are still failing to get the message about the need to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill.
“We have even sent staff into communities to knock on doors and ask residents about their recycling habits in a bid to encourage more to take part.”
The Assembly has set specific recycling targets for Councils in Wales with Councils expected to recycle 40 per cent of their waste by 2010 and 75 per cent by 2025.
Cllr Hague added: “We are confident we will achieve these targets. Every effort is being made to ensure residents have every opportunity to recycle as much of their domestic waste as possible.”
For more information on recycling visit www.swansea.gov,uk/recycling
