Soft plastics recycling system continues
The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s soft plastics recycling system is set to continue in Penarth and be rolled out county-wide from April.
Last year, the Vale was selected to trial this new service because of its excellent recycling record.
Thanks to the dedicated way in which residents have embraced recycling, the Vale of Glamorgan Council is among the best performing Local Authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) in this area.
Following a successful trial in Penarth, Dinas Powys, Sully and surrounding areas, the soft plastics service will continue in these locations beyond this month.
And it will be extended to all other parts of the county where kerbside collections take place from April.
Further information about apartment buildings that do not have kerbside collections will follow in due course.
Cllr Mark Wilson, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services, said: “The Vale is renowned as a place that cares about the planet, where people do all they can to support new ways of recycling. That is why WRAP Cymru decided we should be one of the first areas in Wales to pilot this recycling method.
“Once again, our residents have stepped up to embrace a new service, making the trial a huge success.
“That means this system can continue in the places that already have it and be expanded to the entire Vale in a few months’ time.
“I’d like to thank citizens for their fantastic response as we continue to work together towards Project Zero, our commitment to become a carbon neutral Local Authority by 2030 and a carbon neutral county by 2050.
“I’m sure people living in other areas of the Vale will show the same backing and maintain our status as one of the leading industry leaders in the field of recycling.”
Since the soft plastics trial began in a section of the Vale, more than 72 tonnes of high-quality material has been collected.
That is made up of items such as bags and wrapping that would otherwise have been placed in black bags and not recycled.
WRAP Cymru monitored participation levels and the impact on collections and waste transfers to assess the trial’s success.
The Vale introduced a source-separated recycling system in 2019, an arrangement that involves residents sorting their waste by material type, rather than putting it all in one bag.
Since then, other services that recycle textiles and small appliances have also been implemented.
In the coming weeks, residents living in areas where the soft plastics service does not currently operate will receive blue plastic sacks in which to place this material for recycling.
They will also be sent a leaflet explaining what that will be accepted at the kerbside, with this information available on the Council website.
Items collected can be recycled into products such as bags for life and bin bags, reducing the reliance on single-use plastics, and increasing the overall amount of household waste than can be recycled.