Cardiff Reaches Recycling Target

Cardiff’s recycling target for household waste is set to be reached this summer when official verification of annual figures is released. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

City of Cardiff Council recycling rates for 2015/16 have risen from 53% to 58.1%. This is despite difficult economic conditions for the recyclable sales market. The Council needed to meet a recycling figure of 58% of waste for this period and has taken measures to ensure that this figure was reached. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last July the Council launched its ”Stay Out Of The Black…Move Into The Green” campaign which reduced capacity for non-recyclable waste and encouraged recycling. Smaller bins were introduced in bin areas of Cardiff and a limited supply of bespoke red-striped bags were delivered in bag areas. At the same time the recycling collections remained weekly and unlimited in number to maximise recycling rates. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr. Bob Derbyshire said: “I am absolutely delighted that the hard work has paid off as initial figures show that we have reached our recycling target. This data still needs to be verified but the figures are showing a city-wide increase in recycling of at least five percent overall which is a fantastic achievement by the people of Cardiff. I would like to thank residents for engaging with our scheme, contributing to this step change and for taking on-board the recycling message which is so important for our environment’s well-being.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Increasing recycling rates in Cardiff was a key commitment in the Council’s Liveable City Report which also outlined how Cardiff recycled more than any other UK Core City. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​