Flintshire’s Environment Committee to review impact of sweeping recycling legislation changes
Flintshire councillors will be discussing new recycling regulations which will come into force from April.
The Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 19 to discuss a change in Welsh Government legislation to improve the quality and quantity of commercial recycling collected and separated.
The change will require all non-domestic premises to separate recyclable materials from all other waste.
This means that all workplaces, such as businesses, public sector, and charities will need to separate their recyclable materials in the same way that households currently do.
A report into the change looks at how the change may potentially impact Flintshire Council services, and opportunities that could come from it.
They currently provide business waste collection service to public buildings, schools, and charities, and all businesses receive a residual waste collection service, which is chargeable, and a recycling collection service, which is free.
It said: “The businesses will have to comply with the new legislation too and adapt to a revised service model and potentially liable for the associated charges.”
On opportunities, it said: “With the introduction of the new legislation, there may be an opportunity to review the provision of recycling services for businesses, such as extending our trade waste collection service on a chargeable basis.
“One other option currently being explored could involve designating a single waste disposal facility (i.e. HRC site) for the receipt of other chargeable recyclable materials (wood, soil, rubble, green waste etc) from businesses.”
The report details that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will be responsible for making sure that materials are being separated and collected correctly, and that the ban on recycling going to incineration and landfill is being followed.
Local authorities will be responsible for making sure that the ban on food waste going to sewers is followed.
The committee is recommended to note the changing legislation and the potential impact on Council services, and supports the option to explore opportunities to develop non domestic recycling collections and disposal services.
Recycling targets
Latest figures published last week show Wales has beaten its landfill reduction target and once again exceeded its recycling targets according to new figures published this week.
However, Flintshire is struggling to keep up with the pace of other councils in Wales, posting figures well below the statutory target.
Since devolution, the Welsh Government’s £1 billion investment in local recycling initiatives has significantly boosted recycling rates.
From a mere 4.8% in 1998-1999, the rates have soared to 65.7% today, surpassing the statutory target of 64%.
In 2024-25, the statutory minimum target will rise to 70%, a figure already met by five Welsh local authorities: Swansea, Pembrokeshire, Bridgend, Ceredigion, and Monmouthshire.
In total, 17 of Wales’ 22 local authorities exceeded the 64 per cent target, with 12 local authorities reporting an increase in performance on the previous year.
This represents a slight improvement from 60.1% the previous year.
| April 2022 – March 2023 | |
| Wales | 65.7 |
| Swansea | 71.8 |
| Pembrokeshire | 71.6 |
| Bridgend | 71.4 |
| Ceredigion | 70.3 |
| Monmouthshire | 70.0 |
| Conwy | 69.0 |
| Powys | 68.1 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 67.8 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 66.8 |
| Denbighshire | 65.9 |
| Wrexham | 65.5 |
| Carmarthenshire | 65.4 |
| Newport | 65.2 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 65.0 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 64.8 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 64.8 |
| Gwynedd | 64.7 |
| Isle of Anglesey | 63.5 |
| Cardiff | 61.6 |
| Flintshire | 60.9 |
| Caerphilly | 60.7 |
| Torfaen | 58.7 |
Flintshire Council is at risk of being fined around £1.13m for failing to achieve these targets in 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, as well as a further risk of similar fines in 2023/2024.
The target for recycling rates was set at 64% but the council reported that it “continually missed the target” in the last three years.
An action plan was presented to the Minister for Climate Change for consideration in the decision on whether to levy a fine but was not accepted as being “sufficient to give assurance of the council’s approach in meeting the current and future targets.”
The Minister has not yet made a decision on the infraction fines, but a new strategy was developed with supporting residents and communities to recycle and embed long-term behaviour change at its “core.”
In November, the council launched a consultation on a strategy to improve recycling rates in Flintshire.
You can find out more about the ‘Resource and Waste Strategy for Flintshire’ here.
By Emily Ash – Local Democracy Reporter & Deeside.com
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