Blaenau Gwent Council and Powys County Council have signed a new five-year agreement worth £400,000 with Grundon Waste Management for the collection and recycling of household aerosols.
The contract was signed by the councils to comply with new Welsh Government regulations that began on 6 April and mandated the separate collection and recycling of aerosols. The Blaenau Gwent Council contract is worth around £75,000 a year, while the Powys County Council is some £5,000 per annum.
Commenting on the contract, Paul McConaghy, Grundon’s Commercial Manager – Hazardous Waste, said: “We’re delighted to have extended our partnership with Blaenau Gwent Council and Powys County Council to continue recycling the thousands of aerosols that are thrown away every day from households across South Wales.
“By doing so, they have shown they have led the way ahead of the new legislation. Our capability to recycle or repurpose every part of aerosols supports the circular economy by ensuring nothing is wasted and assists the councils in meeting their sustainability goals while remaining at the forefront of environmental progress.”
Our capability to recycle or repurpose every part of aerosols supports the circular economy.
The new agreement is an extension of an existing partnership. In the last four years, Grundon said Blaenau Gwent Council has recycled two million aerosols and Powys County Council has recycled 100,000.
Grundon said its aerosol recycling facility enables every single part of the aerosol to be recovered or recycled, and it has recycled over 200 tonnes of valuable metal. The propellant gases are repurposed for use in other industries, such as air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, and the metal canisters and plastic casings are sent for recycling or reprocessing.
Deputy Leader Cllr Helen Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Place and Environment, commented: “By working in partnership with Powys County Council, we have been able to find an environmental solution to aerosol recycling that conforms to the new Welsh Government legislation that began on 6 April.
“Aerosols need to be recycled safely as they often contain hazardous substances and gases. This joint working arrangement allows Blaenau Gwent to conform to the regulations and adhere to our sustainability targets.”
