Every local authority in Wales has met the strict limits set on the amount of biodegradable waste it can send to landfill sites. It is the third consecutive year that the councils have exceeded the targets put in place under the Landfill Allowances Scheme.

The scheme limits the amount of biodegradable municipal waste, such as paper, cardboard, kitchen scraps and garden cuttings, that can be sent to landfill sites as a means of encouraging recycling, composting or some other form of treatment for the waste. Councils have welcomed the new figures and are calling on local people to play their part by putting out less rubbish for collection.

Councillor Richard Parry Hughes, the Planning and Environment spokesperson for the Wales Local Government Association and Chair of Waste Awareness Wales said, “While we still have a long way to go, the performance to date emphasises the hard work Councils have put in over the last few years to raise the profile of the waste issue, roll out recycling services suitable for their local area and encourage residents to see the benefit of recycling and, more importantly, reducing the amount of waste we produce in the first place.”

Local authorities, he said, were aware that the targets would get harder to meet each year and they needed waste minimisation to feature more strongly. “If we reduce the amount of rubbish that is put out for collection, we not only help save the planet but also create savings by not having to pay for it to be put in a landfill. We need our communities to fully utilise the services they are offered and recycle as much as they can and to work in partnership with the Assembly to ensure that the resources are available to meet this challenging agenda,” he added.

The latest figures have been produced by Environment Agency Wales in its role as monitoring authority for the Landfill Allowance Scheme