Problem
In 1999, Wales had a recycling rate of under 4.5%. Welsh Government’s ambitious waste strategy targets required the nation to recycle and compost at least 15% of its waste in 2003/04, increasing incrementally to 40% by 2009/10.
Starting in 2003, Monmouthshire County Council launched its own waste strategy aimed at dramatically increasing the local authority’s recycling rate from 10% to 40% over the next decade. As part of this strategy, in 2005, it introduced a food waste collections service to allow residents to recycle their food waste from home every week. The introduction of this service was key to allowing Monmouthshire to reach Wales’ statutory recycling target.
Solution
Monmouthshire County Council’s approach led the local authority to having one of the most successful food waste recycling collections services in Wales. To maintain and build on this success, the Council implemented further innovative measures designed to make food waste recycling as simple, convenient, and effective for residents as possible:
- Free distribution of caddies and liners: To reduce barriers to participation, the Council made food waste bins, kitchen caddies, and caddy liners available to collect for free from local Community Hubs. This ensures residents can easily access the tools they need to recycle their food waste at home.
- Reducing residual waste capacity: Since 2013, the Council has reduced how often it collects non-recyclable waste from homes, allowing residents to present two single-use black sacks for collection every two weeks. This restriction limits the volume of non-recyclable waste that residents may put out to be collected, incentivising households to sort and separate their waste streams more effectively, including food waste.
- Preventing pests and vermin: By asking residents to put their food waste in a lockable caddy, instead of in their single-use sacks for non-recyclable waste, the Council is helping residents reduce the risk of pests and vermin.
Impact
Over the past 20 years, Monmouthshire County Council has consistently ranked amongst the top performing local authorities in Wales for recycling, achieving a recycling rate above 70% since 2022.
The Council’s multi-faceted approach has delivered measurable environmental benefits:
- Reducing food waste in residual bins: The changes introduced by the Council in 2013 helped encourage residents to use their food waste recycling collections service. Between 2012/13 and 2013/14, Monmouthshire’s recycling rate increased from 55.5% to 62.9%, making it the 2nd best performing local authority in Wales. Over 5,000 tonnes of food waste is now diverted from non-recyclable waste to anaerobic digestion each year, creating green energy.
- Increased food waste capture rates: The food waste capture rate in Monmouthshire currently stands at an impressive 76%, demonstrating the success of the Council’s initiatives. The total amount of food waste (including food waste recycled and food waste still in the black sacks) wasted by households in Monmouthshire has also reduced and is among the lowest in Wales, at just over 150 kg per household each year. WRAP’s data shows that using a food waste collections system serves as a reminder of the food that’s wasted, making citizens more mindful and conscientious of their waste. That is, enhanced visibility of food waste prompts users to reconsider their consumption habits, including meal planning and storage techniques.
- Sustainable food waste processing: Once collected, food waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant in Bridgend, where it’s converted into green energy that powers local homes and communities, thereby contributing to a circular economy. Last year, the Council’s food waste produced enough electricity to power more than 600 homes for a whole year. You can learn more about how food waste is recycled here.
Through these targeted measures, Monmouthshire County Council has effectively enhanced its food waste recycling programme whilst fostering long-term environmental sustainability.