People in Carmarthenshire are recycling more rubbish

New figures published show that people in Carmarthenshire are recycling more - and sending less rubbish to landfill.
A total of 59.6% was reused, recycled and composted in the county during 2014/15, a four per cent increase on the previous year, according to the WasteDataFlow report.
This means Carmarthenshire has not only achieved but already exceeded the 58% statutory recycling target set for 2015/16 and is in the top five best performing local authorities in Wales.
The 2014/15 Landfill Allowances Scheme (LAS) report has also been released by Natural Resources Wales yesterday (October 8) which shows the county has also significantly reduced the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill.
Carmarthenshire had an allowance of 23,151 tonnes but sent only 7,175 tonnes to landfill – just 31% of its allowance.
The Landfill Allowances Scheme limits the amount of biodegradable waste - such as paper, cardboard and food waste - that councils are allowed to send to landfill.
Carmarthenshire was one of nine local authorities in Wales to be singled out in the report for using the least amount of its allowance
Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Hazel Evans said: “I am absolutely delighted with these figures which show that not only have we achieved a high recycling rate, but we are also reducing the amount of rubbish we send to landfill year on year; making a real difference to the environment in which we live.
“We could not have done this without the co-operation of our residents and I would like to thank them for all their efforts. A particular thank you also needs to go to staff, who have not only worked hard to achieve these figures but also have been prepared to adapt to meet changing demands on the service.”
She added: “With a 70% recycling target to reach by 2024/25 it is more important than ever that we continue to keep up the good work and even do just a little bit more. Using our food waste bins and recycling just one more item in our blue bags can make a big difference and help us on our way to that 70% target.”
Failure to meet the statutory recycling targets could result in large financial penalties for local authorities.
For a full list of what can go in your blue bags or for more information on the food waste recycling scheme visit the council website.