Council Thanks Gwynedd Residents For Doing Their Bit For The Environment

Thanks to the way that so many Gwynedd residents have embraced the green revolution, the latest figures show that more than 62% of the county’s waste is now recycled or composted. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With weekly recycling and food waste collection available to residents across the county, everyone can do their bit for the environment. This special effort means that Gwynedd is well on-track to meet the national target of recycling and composting 64% of waste by the end of March 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor John Wynn Jones, Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member for Environment said: “Gwynedd households have made huge strides in their efforts to recycle more and make better use of the food waste collection service provided by the Council over recent years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are extremely grateful to residents for their willingness to work with us to ensure that Gwynedd continues to be a leading light in our work for the environment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Since introducing changes to waste collection arrangements, we are seeing further positive changes with the amount of waste being recycled and composted at all time high – the latest figures show that 43,000 tonnes of waste was recycled or composted last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“But, we can’t rest on our laurels, and we must continue to improve if we are to ensure that we all play our part in respecting the environment, helping to reach the tough Welsh Government statutory targets and avoid stiff financial charges and other costs associated with burying waste in the ground that could easily be recycled or composted. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The fact is that we can all make a difference – if we recycle, we reduce the need to use more of our natural resources. By reducing our waste, we cut down on the amount of waste we sent to be buried in landfill sites that create harmful emissions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s a win-win for everyone – by reusing more, you can save money and reduce the need to consume and produce more waste. It makes sense all round.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More and more Gwynedd families are doing their bit for the environment, but everyone could do a little extra. Over the past year or two, thousands of the easy-to-use Cartgylchu have been distributed to homes across the county. These three stackable recycling boxes on wheels make it easier for residents to separate their recycled materials apart, ready for the weekly collection. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of the efforts to encourage even more people to recycle, the Council has produced two videos showing the journey of the items placed in the Cartgylchu and food waste bin. The videos can be seen on the Council website www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/recycling on the authority’s social media accounts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One video shows what happens to your old milk bottle from your doorstep, on to the Council’s recycling depot to be sorted, bailed and ready to be used again to be made into a new product. The second video shows the process of collecting food waste from the county’s households, treated in a specialist anaerobic digestion plant where the food waste is converted into electrical energy. It also shows how bio-fertilizer is produced and used as a fertilizer on local farmland – with food waste returning to the earth to complete the circle. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​