Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Climate Change – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 19 October 2022.
Thank you, Minister. The pleasure is all mine. While we're all urged to do our bit to recycle at home, I want to draw your attention, Minister, to the policy of Swansea council of preventing the recycling of wood at Clyne in Gorseinon recycling centre. That policy results in thousands of people from right across Swansea—from the tip of Gower and places like Mumbles, and areas like Gorseinon in Loughor—having to travel up to 20 miles to Llansamlet, which is the only site that allows people to deposit recyclable wood. Given that people are obviously physically unable to carry heavy loads of wood on public transport, this now causes far higher levels of congestion and emissions on our roads because, obviously, a car is the only means that people have to get to these locations.
When the council, however, were asked about it, they replied that that policy was as a result of the Welsh Government changing the rules when it comes to recycling wood. So, a number of people, it's being reported to me, are now burning wood and sometimes dumping it around Swansea as well. So, Minister, will you work with Swansea council to help them to revise that plan to allow residents to recycle wood at alternative locations across the city, which hopefully will improve recycling rates and reduce pressures on our roads, at a time when Welsh Government and Swansea council have declared a climate emergency?