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Caerphilly County Borough Council has acknowledged it needs to do more to boost recycling rates, after it missed the minimum target for the second year running.
According to latest figures, the council saw the amount of overall waste sent to recycling fall from 62.5% to 61.9% – the lowest rate in the Gwent area and the second worst in Wales. The minimum target set by the Welsh Government is 64%.
Cllr Nigel George, cabinet member for community services, said the council is working on a campaign to boost the amount of waste recycled.
He said: “We are obviously disappointed with the latest figures and it is clear that we all need to do more to increase our annual recycling rates.
“We are currently working with Welsh Government on a major campaign to boost recycling and we are also developing a new waste management strategy.
“I would like to thank all the residents who do their bit to recycle as much as possible, but we also need to target those who could be doing more to help make our environment a cleaner and greener place.”
“Not acceptable”
The leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly County Borough Council said the authority had to do a lot better.
Cllr Colin Mann said: “This is not acceptable, particularly given the drive across the UK to reduce the throwaway society and create a better and more sustainable environment.
“Last year when recycling rates in Caerphilly fell, the cabinet member for waste and public protection blamed the fraudulent activity of a processing company. He said that without that Caerphilly would have been among the best performers for recycling .
“Well, we’re a year on and the recycling rate has fallen again. What’s the excuse now? Clearly, a much higher priority needs to be given to recycling by the Labour-run authority if we are to climb up the Wales league table.
“Back in 2011, the former Plaid Cymru administration achieved a 57% recycling rate, So, in a decade the rate has increased by under 5%. That is a significant failure and the council has to do a lot better.”
Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.