Posted on: Wednesday 2 April 2025
Cabinet members have approved a plan to increase recycling rates in line with the Welsh Government's 70 per cent target.
According to a report to cabinet on Tuesday, recycling rates in the borough increased from 59 per cent in 2022/2023 to 64 per cent in 2023/2024 but have not reached the 70 per cent by 2025 target.
The Recycling and Waste Strategy 2025-2030 outlines how the council plans to reach 70 per cent through improving and expanding recycling and waste reduction services, and a programme of education and enforcement.
It will support the Strategic Improvement Programme road map approved in January 2024 and builds on service improvements, such as weekly card collections, the introduction of red bag collections and the Raise the Rate Public Information campaign.
It also supports the Welsh Government's Beyond Recycling strategy to develop a sustainable circular economy in Wales.
Cllr Sue Morgan, Executive Member for Waste and Sustainability, said: "Recycling is a key part of this council's response to the climate and nature emergency.
"But before things even enter the waste stream, we need to consider how things can be reused at home or in business, and before that again we need to consider how we reduce the levels of goods and materials we are consuming.
"Consuming less, finding more uses for things before we discard them, then recycling and then as a last resort for those items that cannot yet be recycled and cannot be reused to be considered as waste."
The strategy will focus on six priority areas, including improving recycling services, expansion of the household and trade waste recycling services, and a new education and enforcement policy approved by councillors in December.
Analysis has shown 62 per cent of rubbish put into purple-lidded bins in Torfaen could have been recycled. The majority was food waste which is collected weekly as part of the council's kerbside recycling service.
According to the report, recent changes to the Workplace Recycling Regulations had increase trade waste recycling in Torfaen.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Leader Cllr Anthony Hunt thanked residents and officers and crew members for their hard work.
For information about what can be reused and recycled in Torfaen: https://www.torfaen.gov.uk/en/RubbishAndRecycling/Recycling-AtoZGuide/A-to-Z-guide-to-Recycling.aspx
Find out what else the council is doing to tackle the climate and nature emergency