Food waste recycling given boost

Recent figures show Wales is meeting its recycling targets

Recycling schemes to collect household food waste, and turn it into compost or even fuel, are to receive the lion's share of a £14m grant package in Wales.

Environment Minister Jane Davidson has announced the awards to 13 local councils over the next two years.

Meanwhile, Blaenau Gwent is to receive £850,000 to help set up Wales' first plastic bottle recycling plant.

Ms Davidson said: "We need to make sure that we are recycling everything possible in Wales."

The minister said it was hoped the grants would help Wales meet its recycling targets.

Recent figures show that local authorities met the all-Wales recycling target for for 2006-07.

According to the Welsh Assembly Government, they are progressing well to meet the targets for 2009-10.

Residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf benefit from a food recycling scheme

They were all invited to make joint applications for a share of money towards recycling projects.

Most of it was awarded to seven local authorities for food, kitchen and green waste schemes.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is to receive £3,137,500 towards vehicles and equipment for its food waste collection scheme, which it operates along with Merthyr Tydfil council.

Meanwhile, nearly £2.5m in grants over two years will be shared by Carmarthenshire and Swansea councils, for food waste recycling.

Other councils working together on similar food recycling initiatives will also receive funding ranging from £714,000 to nearly £1.7m.

FOOD WASTE RECYCLING Gwynedd/Anglesey - £714,000 Ceredigion/Powys - £731,700 Blaenau Gwent/Torfaen - £1.696m Denbighshire, Conwy, Flintshire - £1.025m Rhondda Cynon Taf/Merthyr - £3.137m Carmarthenshire/Swansea - £2.448m Grants allocated between 2007-2009. Source: Welsh Assembly Government

These are Gwynedd and Anglesey councils, Ceredigion and Powys, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen, and Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire.

Residents already recycling their food waste in Rhondda Cynon Taf are given a small container with a bag inside.

Once filled with kitchen waste - including fruit and vegetables, bread, meat and teabags - it is placed in a bin which is taken away with the usual weekly collection.

This will be used to make compost, but the waste could be used to generate electricity or produce compost and biogas fuel.

In Blaenau Gwent, material collected by a new machine to sort plastic bottles from other waste will be used by businesses in Wales, and elsewhere in the UK.

Ms Davidson said: "These substantial grants demonstrate the government's commitment to tackling the issue of waste, which is a key element in our efforts to deal with climate change.

"We also hope these schemes will be another boost to the good work already being done by local authorities in Wales to meet our ambitious targets for recycling and diversion from landfill."