Eight new projects, worth £5.4m, have been given the green light across Wales, aiming to help to reduce waste and increase the amount of materials reused and recycled in the country.
Some of the projects aim to improve facilities to repair or refurbish unwanted items. A new “Green Shed” in Colwyn Bay will involve the local community in preparing items to be reused. A second “reuse centre” in Rhondda Cynon Taf will open in Treherbert, alongside the existing centre in Llantrisant. A new reuse facility will also open in the Maindee area of Newport.
In Pembrokeshire, a Zero Waste School pilot project will provide new recycling facilities at 24 schools in the county, to recycle more waste from schools while encouraging the pupils to reduce waste or dispose of it responsibly.
Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn – “This range of new projects will not only help reduce waste in the coming years, it should lead to a cultural change in the longer term, helping us achieve our ambition to become a ‘Zero Waste Nation’ by 2050.”
Funding will also be provided to Denbighshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent, including new reuse facilities and improvements to waste collection services.
Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn said: “One of the best ways to reduce waste is to repair and refurbish items so they can be reused and some of these projects will improve facilities to enable this. We’re also investing in a pilot schools project to reduce waste and instil good habits from a young age.
“Where materials can’t be re-used, the next best method is to recycle, so we’re also investing in the machinery to better manage recyclable items.
“Wales is first in the UK, second in Europe and third in the world for household recycling, so out track record speaks for itself. The proportion of waste we recycle in Wales has increased dramatically, from 5% in 1999 to 63% last year.
“This range of new projects will not only help reduce waste in the coming years, it should lead to a cultural change in the longer term, helping us achieve our ambition to become a ‘Zero Waste Nation’ by 2050.”
The eight capital funding projects are:
- £500,000 to Pembrokeshire County Council to support a Zero Waste Schools initiative
- £1,020,000 to Conwy/Denbighshire County Councils to support initiatives by CREST
- £1,175,000 to Newport City Council to support initiatives by Wastesavers
- £900,000 to Denbighshire County Council
- £541,000 to Blaenau Gwent CBC
- £120,000 to Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC
- £646,375 to Monmouthshire County Council
- £490,000 to Merthyr Tydfil CBC