Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Building on our recycling progress, which has seen us become a world leader, I am pleased to announce the publication of the latest version of the Welsh Government’s best practice guidance, Collections Blueprint 2025
The publication of the latest Collections Blueprint updates the original published back in 2011, taking into account the lessons we have collectively learned, the best practice from our local authorities across Wales and our circular economy strategy, Beyond Recycling. Like the 2011 document, it is intended to serve as a guide to help Welsh local authorities deliver services that combine financial affordability with the best environmental, economic and social outcomes, whilst supporting them to reach the statutory minimum recycling target, which currently stands at 70%.
Since 2011 Wales has made substantial progress, not only on recycling but also on waste prevention, moving waste up the waste hierarch and away from landfill and more recently, beginning the rolling out of infrastructure to support more widespread repair and reuse. Our internationally recognised household recycling rate is already reducing Wales’ emissions by around 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and reducing the pollution caused by the extraction and processing of raw materials. With last year’s bringing into force of the Workplace Recycling Law, we have also already taken a further major step in tackling the climate and nature emergency.
Alongside its importance in addressing the environmental imperatives, we are equally determined to put Wales at the forefront of the transition to a circular economy as a core element of our action to deliver green growth and jobs. The publication of this updated Blueprint is an important step, building on the foundation of our performance to date and putting in place further action to help Wales further improve the reuse and repair of goods alongside the improved capture of high quality material to go back into the economy.
Our world class recycling is already helping to attract inward investment and create jobs. For example, the new Jayplas plastic recycling plant in Swansea will process 100,000 tonnes of plastic every year and create 100 new jobs. In Deeside, the redevelopment of Shotton Mill has attracted investment of over £1 billion and the site will become one of the UK’s largest recycled fibre containerboard manufacturing facilities, creating a further 220 jobs. Investments like these highlight how in coming to Wales, businesses they can access high quality recycled material from resilient supply chains thanks to the efforts of the people of Wales.
In support of the delivery of the Collections Blueprint 2025, we will continue to work in partnership with Wales’ local authorities to increase the volume and quality of recycled materials and to move further up the waste hierarchy in rolling out repair and reuse. This includes continuing to provide access to specialist support and finance for infrastructure improvements to deliver the Collections Blueprint, alongside work to decarbonise recycling and waste operations and improve climate resilience.
I would like to thank Local Authorities for their hard work which has been so central to our journey to date and look forward to continuing the successful partnership in delivering this latest iteration of the Welsh Government’s Collections Blueprint.