Where Does Welsh Recycling End Up?

A study by the Welsh Government states that a large proportion of the waste collected for recycling in Wales is reprocessed in the North West of the country. The research collated shows exactly where 22 Welsh authorities sent their waste, including wood, glass and paper, between April 2011 and March 2012. The majority of these authorities actually had their waste processed in the North West and Southern parts of Wales. This is the first study to be published with a full year’s data included in it since the pledge from the Welsh Government to publish end destination information in March 2011. This includes information about the company and which facilities are used to process the various materials.

The study shows that more than 800,000 tonnes of waste collected was actually used for recycling purposes and reused, whereas just 700,000 tonnes was sent to landfill sites. These figures put Wales on the map as the first UK nation to recycle more waste than it sent to landfill – a big step in the right direction for environmental initiatives. Alun Davies, the newly appointed minister for natural resources, claimed that he hoped the report would highlight the importance of recycling and encourage the collection of high quality recyclable in Wales. Recycling, he noted, not only benefits the environment but also helps to support the economy through creating jobs in the waste industry. He stated that people have a right to know where their recycling goes and what it’s being used for, which he hopes will be thoroughly described in the published report.

With so much emphasis being put on recycling, reducing one’s carbon footprint and helping to create a greener planet, such reports could well encourage more people to recycle and use the resources at hand. Hopefully it will also improve the services in other areas of the UK through promoting its importance, in order to create a more environmentally friendly country.