Vale residents to benefit from proposed new hygiene waste collection service and expanded textile recycling
Residents across the Vale of Glamorgan could benefit from two significant improvements to the Council’s recycling and waste services, helping to reduce waste, increase recycling and support the Council’s environmental ambitions.
Proposals for a new weekly Absorbent Hygiene Product (AHP) collection service and the permanent expansion of textile recycling across the Vale will be put before the Council’s Place Scrutiny Committee later this month, before being considered by Cabinet.
If approved, the new weekly AHP collection service would be introduced from November, providing additional support for households that produce items such as nappies, incontinence pads and other absorbent hygiene products.
At the same time, the successful textile recycling trial currently operating in Barry would be expanded across the whole Vale on a permanent basis.
Councillor Mark Wilson, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services, said: "The Vale of Glamorgan already has one of the best recycling performances in Wales and these proposals demonstrate our ongoing commitment to making recycling easier and more accessible for residents.
"We recognise that some households, particularly those with young children or residents who require hygiene products for medical reasons, can find it difficult to store absorbent hygiene products for up to three weeks. The proposed weekly collection service would provide a practical and convenient solution while helping us remove more material from the residual waste stream.
"At the same time, we are delighted to be proposing the expansion of our textile recycling service across the entire Vale following a successful trial in Barry. Every item recycled is one less item going into a black bag, helping us reduce waste, increase recycling and support our Project Zero and environmental objectives.
"These changes would make it easier for residents to recycle more, waste less and play their part in helping the Vale remain one of Wales' leading recycling authorities."
Residents wishing to use the proposed new AHP collection service would need to register with the Council in advance.
If approved, registered residents would receive a weekly collection on their normal recycling and waste collection day. The service would be specifically for absorbent hygiene products only and would not be available for any other black bag waste.
The proposed introduction of the service recognises that households producing absorbent hygiene products can face challenges storing these materials between the Council's three-weekly residual waste collections and would provide a practical solution that improves convenience while helping to divert waste from the residual waste stream.
The expansion of textile recycling across the Vale would provide even more opportunities for residents to recycle unwanted clothing, shoes and household textiles through a convenient kerbside collection service. The initiative follows the success of the Barry trial, which has demonstrated strong public participation and the potential to increase recycling rates.
The proposals form part of the Council's ongoing Recycling and Waste Management Strategy, which has already helped deliver significant reductions in residual waste, increased recycling participation and supported the Vale's ambitions to reduce carbon emissions and move towards a more circular economy.
Further information on both services, including registration details for the AHP collection scheme, will be made available on the Council's website ahead of their proposed launch in November.