Posted on: Thursday 5 December 2024
Cabinet members have approved a Waste Education and Enforcement Policy which will come into place in 2025.
According to the cabinet report, the policy will help increase recycling rates in the borough by reducing the amount of recycling put into purple-lidded bins. Around 62% of what residents place in their purple lidded bins is actually recyclable.
It will focus on householders who over-fill their purple-lidded bin or leave rubbish bags alongside their bin, as well as those who do not recycle.
A team of education and enforcement officers will contact residents in person and in writing to offer information and support, with enforcement action taken as the last resort.
Councillor Sue Morgan, Executive Member for Waste and Sustainability, said: “In 2019, we declared a climate change and nature emergency and one way to reduce our impact is to increase the amount we recycle.
“We would like to thank residents who already recycle as much as they can. The focus of this policy is to educate and support those who are struggling to recycle, with enforcement action taken as the last resort.
“After a lot of hard work over the past few years Torfaen managed to hit the statutory 64 per cent recycling rate, however, the next target we need to reach is 70 per cent by 2024-2025 or the authority could be fined by Welsh Government.”
In a Raise the Rate survey in 2023, 56 per cent of residents said they would support enforcement action being taken against those who do not recycle.
Cabinet members also approved a separate report to appoint a contractor to operate the Household Recycling Centre in New Inn.
The current contract ends in April 2025. The new contract will run for five years with the option of a three-year extension.
Read the waste education and enforcement report
Watch a recording of the meeting
Find out more about recycling in Torfaen