Residents sending less waste to landfill

Residents in Swansea are being offered a big thank you after helping to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill in the city.

In 2008, just over 88,000 tonnes of waste were disposed of at landfill sites. Swansea Council has released figures to show that at the end of March 2011, this figures has dropped to 71,000 tonnes.

The Council estimates that by the end of March 2012 the amount sent to landfill will have decreased even further, possibly as low as 60,000 tonnes.

The huge reduction in the amount of waste being sent is mainly down to the number of residents using the recycling services provided by the Council.

Since April 2011, every household has been using the Alternate Weekly Collection service which encourages residents to recycle more of their waste and reduce the amount they dispose of in black bags.

The cost to the Council for disposing of waste at landfill is approximately £90 per tonne, meaning savings of around £2.5 million have been made in landfill costs.

John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment in Swansea Council, said: "Residents are playing a big part in the reduction of waste we have sent to landfill in previous years.

"This clearly shows that residents are utilising the wide range of recycling services we have provided and this is helping us cut costs in landfill waste disposal."

All Councils in Wales need to achieve a recycling target of 52% by April 2013. Swansea recycled around 45% last year.

Cllr Hague added, "The amount we recycle in the city needs to increase even more if we are to meet Welsh Government targets. If residents are not yet recycling, then now is the time to start."

For more information about the different recycling services and how you can participate visit www.swansea.gov.uk/recycling or phone 01792 635600.

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