2. What plans does the Welsh Government have to review recycling targets for local authorities in Wales? OAQ(5)0663(FM)

Well, we’ll review recycling targets as part of the ongoing review of the Wales waste strategy. As well as evaluating our successful performance against current targets, this will include a consideration of targets to be set beyond 2025.

Thank you for the reply, Minister, but ‘successful’ is coming to this: the First Minister will be aware that his Government set a target for local authorities to recycle 58 per cent of waste by 2016. In April, it was reported that three councils—Newport, Blaenau Gwent, and Torfaen—had all missed their target, but would avoid being fined also. Does the Welsh Government have plans to review recycling targets in Wales, and, if they are to be increased, what incentive will there be for underperforming councils to improve, given the reluctance to use fines in Wales?

Well, I’m glad the Member has pointed out that, by the end of 2016, the target was 58 per cent. Indeed, we reached 60 per cent, as a result of the work that was done. The reality is that there is an inbuilt financial incentive for local authorities to recycle more, because they can get more money for the products that they offer for recycling, and they don’t have to pay as much in terms of the landfill tax. So, those local authorities that don’t meet the targets that have been set, effectively, are costing themselves more money, and that is the inbuilt incentive in terms of ensuring that we see more recycling. And I can say that we are certainly on course to exceed the 70 per cent target that we have set for the year 2024-25.

Although I welcome the success in this area of recycling, it’s true to say that the main focus should now be on reducing waste in the first place. It’s particularly beneficial to bear in mind that every piece of plastic ever created is still in existence now, unless it’s been incinerated or burned. Therefore, isn’t it time to look at issues such as a deposit-return scheme, to see how we can reduce the use of plastic and polystyrene in our environment?

It is a problem—I agree with you there. I don’t believe this is something that will be resolved on a Welsh level because so many imports come from other countries where there are different regulations. So, for me, as to the way of ensuring that less waste is generated in the first place, that should be dealt with on a European level at least, but, really, on a global level, in order to ensure that producers in places like China, which export a great deal of their products to Europe, reduce the amount of plastic in their products in order to ensure that less plastic needs to be recycled in Wales.

First Minister, if we are to have any chance at all of reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill each year, recycling schemes should be made as easy as possible for homeowners to recycle. Unfortunately, local authorities appear to do the opposite. Bridgend, for example, have completely messed up the introduction of their new recycling scheme, which, in the words of the council’s deputy leader, has caused damage to the goodwill of the residents. The situation is now so bad that more than 40 councillors have taken the unprecedented step of writing to the council’s leader to complain. First Minister, without the goodwill of residents, recycling schemes are doomed to failure. What can your Government do to ensure that local authorities make it as simple as possible for the residents to recycle?

Well, as someone who lives in Bridgend, it is simple, and I’ve certainly recycled in the new system for the past two weeks without any problem at all. It’s not massively different to the old system, in reality. There have been instances where rubbish has not been collected as it should have been, and that is something I know that the council have been focused on. But I have to say that some of the people who are complaining are people who didn’t want the new contract in the first place, and who are not convinced that the current system is something that is worth while doing in any event. It is a matter for Bridgend council, of course, to deal with any problems that arise, but I am assured by them that they are doing so.