Recyling
Wales: a global leader in waste management Government Business (GB) talks to Hannah Blythyn (HB), Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, about the 2020 ban on single use plastics in Wales and ambitions for zero waste by 2050 GB: The recent ban on a range of single-use plastics was labelled as highlighting the Welsh Government as being a world leader in the area of recycling. What have been the standout measures, undertaken by the Welsh Government, that have enabled Wales to ‘lead the way’?
63 per cent of our waste. This gives us a tremendous platform to build on. We published a consultation document - Beyond Recycling - late last year which actively engaged the people of Wales on how we should move to a more circular economy, that keeps resources in use for as long as possible. We held a series of face-to-face events with public and other stakeholders to hear first-hand their views on how HB: We have had a lot of we can meet not just our zero standout measures here waste target, but also the vital One sp in Wales, including contribution it makes to action being the first UK on the climate emergency. action wecific nation to introduce As part of the consultation, e a t r a e king is a carrier bag there was a focus on waste, on plastic charge, the only reducing resource use, w UK nation to tackling single use plastic, already here we’ve a significantly reducing food waste n n o o u ur inten nced reduce household and further increasing several tion to ban food waste, recycling after 2025. These sin one of the few actions will help support plastic gle use nations in the world the move towards a circular, items to have a universal low carbon economy and weekly separate make our resources go further household food waste and I have no doubt that we can collection, and successfully meet the target of zero waste by 2050. enabling consortia of local authorities to jointly procure infrastructure for GB: Given the length and beauty food and residual waste treatment. of Wales’ coastline, how serious We have invested not only in the facilities a problem is plastic pollution to at our recycling centres, with many sites the Welsh region? now having handle over 20 different waste streams. But also in how and what materials HB: Plastic pollution effects every we collect. This has seen us expand recycling environment in Wales, particularly our collections to include items such as glass, beaches and coasts which can cause paper, card, metal cans, and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays. This has helped us to reach our statutory minimum targets and has seen Wales become a global leader.
GB: This also forms part of the wider move towards zero waste by 2050. How achievable is that target? HB: We have seen Wales transform from a nation which recycled less than five per cent of its municipal waste, to become an international leader that now recycles
harm to marine life. We are committed to ensuring Welsh seas are clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse. Marine litter is a global issue, which needs collaborative action at both the local and regional scale to take preventative action, and tackle the issue of litter before it enters the marine environment. This is why we are committed to delivering the UK Marine Strategy, working with partners at an international level to achieve and maintain Good Environmental Status. In addition, last year we developed the Wales Clean Seas Partnership and began implementing the Marine Litter Action Plan for Wales; designed with prevention, collaboration with partners and finding a long-term solution at its core. Littering in all its forms is unacceptable and one of our aims is to ensure that everybody takes responsibility for their litter and that in Wales we take full responsibility for the waste we generate that cannot be recycled. This means that we must dispose of it properly, so it does not end up blighting our countryside and marine environments or becoming a problem elsewhere. We will be taking this work forward through our new Litter Prevention Plan and in the wider implementation of Beyond Recycling, our circular economy strategy.
GB: The best way to make a circular economy in Wales reality is to keep resources in use for as long as possible. What other measures are aiding the government in pursuing this? HB: The consultation process we have undertaken has helped shape how we are planning on moving to a circular economy. One of the things we sought views on specifically was using procurement to support the circular economy, for example by prioritising low carbon and recycled goods in public purchasing which also helps to support locally produced products. Other measures we are pursing, which received positive responses in the consultation, included our work with the E
Issue 27.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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