Plans for a new waste depot have moved a step closer, as Caerphilly County Borough Council bids to improve its ailing recycling rates.

The local authority has been told to recycle more of the waste it collects or it will be hit with multimillion-pound Welsh Government fines.

It hopes the new depot, at the Duffryn Business Park in Ystrad Mynach, will allow household recyclables to be sorted within the borough.

“We are very excited to be moving into the next stages of our proposed development,” said Cllr Chris Morgan, the cabinet member for waste. “If approved, it will enable us to process materials locally, improve efficiency and help us meet ambitious Welsh Government recycling targets, while delivering a modern, fit-for-purpose depot for our workforce.”

The council is about to submit a formal planning application for the depot, which is being part-funded by the Welsh Government.

No residual waste – non-recyclable rubbish – will be processed at the site.

Caerphilly has languished at or near the bottom of Welsh councils’ recycling performance tables in recent years, and local authorities must now recycle 70% of the waste they collect.

The council has so far managed to stave off government fines for non-compliance, by producing a new waste strategy that sets out planned improvements.

Some ‘quick wins’ have already been brought in, such as introducing free food waste bags for residents, making changes to the borough’s tips, and introducing education and enforcement policies that could lead to fines for people who repeatedly fail to sort their waste at home.

Longer-term proposals include a new kerbside sorting system under which residents would separate recyclables into different containers, and proposals to eventually cut the frequency of bin collections for residual waste.

The council said the plans for the new depot form “a key part” of its “ambitious” waste strategy, and will be able to meet government recycling requirements “from 2028”.

The depot “will allow the council to process all kerbside recycling materials locally and will replace the existing operations depot in Tir-y-berth, helping to deliver a cleaner, greener and more efficient service for residents,” the local authority added.