Wales aims to become world number one recycler as it announces Circular Economy strategy
Cymru'n anelu at ddod yn ailgylchwr orau'r byd wrth i'r Llywodraeth gyhoeddi ei strategaeth Economi Gylchol
Welsh Government has today published an ambitious strategy to support a green recovery in Wales by transitioning into a ‘Circular Economy’, as we deal with the triple challenge of the pandemic, climate change and Brexit.
In going ‘Beyond Recycling’, the Welsh Government sets out how it will lead Wales towards a Circular Economy, in which resources and items are kept in use for as long as possible and waste is avoided.
Wales is already ranked the third best country for recycling in the world – the new strategy aims to make Wales the world number one.
But the aim is to go further than this - to also be world-leading in reusing, repairing and manufacturing from what would otherwise be thrown away, by cutting the amount of food wasted in Wales, and by reducing the amount of unnecessary single use items that we use and are often littered.
The strategy comes at an important time in a changing world. Moving to a Circular Economy, which eliminates waste by cutting down throw-away consumption and turning materials that would have been previously sent to landfill into a valuable resource, has never been more important.
The strategy therefore also sets out how we can build on Wales’ success as a recycling nation in our response to the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate emergency.
This includes a commitment to jumpstart a step change in public sector procurement, worth £6.7bn per year in Wales, with low-carbon, resource-efficient businesses to be given priority in tenders that use money from the public purse.
Over the last year, Welsh Government has already rapidly increased funding for circular economy projects from £6.5m to £43 million.
This has supported 180 initiatives in every part of Wales, bringing together communities to fix their broken goods, redistribute wholesome food that would have otherwise ended up in the bin, or repurposed pots and plastics into furniture for homes.
One such project includes Smile Plastics in the Gower, Swansea, which turns old plastic packaging into modern interior design furniture. In 2020, Welsh Government and WRAP invested £300,000 in the company to expand and increase its production, whilst funding the creation of 18 new jobs.
Rosalie McMillan, Founding Director of Smile, said: “We’ve worked with a range of materials, but our real love is plastics. Ours are sourced from post-industrial, commercial and single-use consumer plastics – often from food and medical packaging.
“Plastics such as these are typically low value for the waste management industry and may end up in landfill or incineration plants.
“However, through design, we flip the value category on its head, creating high-value materials that people want to be around.”
Another venture to have been supported by the Circular Economy Fund is toogoodtowaste, a Rhondda-based charity which has supported its surrounding communities for more than 25 years, collecting unwanted goods and re-selling them at affordable prices.
The charity recently received £36,000 from the Fund, allowing it to increase capacity at its showroom in Treorchy, allowing more residents to deposit unwanted household goods.
Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said:
“By helping us to manage our resources, the steps set out in ‘Beyond Recycling’ will help us to drive our green recovery to the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit and the impact of the climate emergency – as well as playing a vital and necessary part in our route to becoming a net-zero carbon nation by 2050.
“But as well as helping us to face those challenges, the strategy also sets out how this a fantastic opportunity for Wales.
“Our Circular Economy can be world-leading, and help businesses not just to improve resource use at home, but also to compete internationally.
“There is already fantastic work taking place all over Wales in which it is playing a key role in our green recovery from the pandemic. We have a burgeoning green business sector helping to boost our economic resilience, and social enterprises and charities supporting communities to keep items in use as long as possible, and support households facing tight budgets.
“The global economy is looking at the potential of the Circular Economy, but here in Wales we are in a prime position to lead.”
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Notes to editors
Toogoodtowaste, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Having served surrounding communities for more than 25 years, Toogoodtowaste provides support for people in Rhondda Cynon Taff by collecting unwanted household goods, and re-selling them at affordable prices at its showrooms in Ynyshir, Aberdare and Treorchy. This has provided a lifeline for customers who have had their homes devastated by floods or have faced homelessness.
Thanks to recent Circular Economy funding, the charity will be able to add a number of shipping containers to its drop-in centre and showroom in Treorchy, increasing the amount of recycling the site can take on – meaning residents won’t have to travel as far when looking to donate unwanted items.
Shaun England, Chief Executive Officer at toogoodtowaste, said: “If someone lives in Treorchy and is looking to recycle something, they either have to travel two or three miles into the valley, or to the community recycling centre in Pen Dinas.
“That might be a problem for people who are unable to drive or don’t have access to a car.
“We’re very grateful for this funding, as an increase to shipping containers at our Treorchy site will allow more people to make donations of unwanted and recyclable or re-usable items on foot.”
Last year saw toogoodtowaste collect more than 150,000 items, with 80% of items collected being re-used and 20% recycled.
As well as re-selling unwanted household items at its showrooms, toogoodtowaste also provides free items for those in need.
During the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, toogoodtowaste worked alongside Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to provide useful goods to people placed in temporary accommodation due to homelessness.
Shaun said: “We’ve worked with the local authority to support homeless people who were placed in temporary accommodation during the pandemic.
“We’ve helped to provide anything from washing machines to mugs. There are those things that many of us might take for granted, such as a cup to drink from – some people don’t have anything.
The charity also supported residents in the area whose homes were hit by flooding early in 2020.
Shaun England, CEO at TGTW, is happy to speak to media and may be contacted on 07545 140 540.
Crest Co-operative, Conwy
Founded in 1998, Crest Co-operative has provided re-use and recycling services to communities in North Wales for more than 20 years.
As well as operating out of re-use shops in Llandudno Junction and Colwyn Bay, Crest also provides training for adults with learning difficulties through its sites, in skills such as customer services and repairs.
It also continues to offer work placements for adults with learning difficulties.
In partnership with Conwy County Borough Council, Crest has received Circular Economy funding to set up a new, Llandudno-based store named Happi-Tat.
Jay Martin, Strategic Business Development Manager at Crest, said: “As part of the Welsh Government’s effort to raise awareness and encourage more and more people to make use of repair services through the use of high-street premises, Happi-Tat will provide a space where items are up-cycled for resale, rather than just repaired.”
Jay added as well as providing a retail space aimed at highlighting the desirability of second-hand items, Happi-Tat would also contain a repair area with specialist repairs provided for a variety of items, and where members of the public would be able to bring in their own goods for repair – lengthening the amount of time before they’re disposed.
Jay Martin, Strategic Business Development Manager at Crest, is happy to speak to media and is available on 01492 596783; or on 07702 528 063.
Benthyg Cymru/Library of Things
Benthyg Cymru/Library of Things is a re-use project which was co-founded by a group of friends from Cardiff in 2016.
The trio – Becky, Jane and Ella – set out with the goal of creating spaces where borrowing useful items was as easy as popping out for a loaf of bread.
Their aim is to set up spaces where people can lend things they have, but don’t need; borrow things they need, but don’t have; and exchange useful skills across groups and generations.
They are now looking to create a network of libraries of things across Wales, providing items such as gardening and DIY tools; camping equipment and much more.
Items will be available at an affordable rate, with those borrowing items also allowed to pay with their time instead of cash.
Circular Economy funding will allow for the creation of new Libraries of Things in Monmouthshire and Swansea, backed by expertise provided by the team at Benthyg Cymru - with others to follow.
Becky Harford, co-founder of Benthyg, said: “The idea first came about when I had just moved into a new house with a big garden but couldn’t afford to buy a lawnmower.
“I didn’t know anyone locally to borrow one and didn’t drive to be able to borrow one from friends further away. I came across the idea of tool libraries and when I realised there wasn't one in Cardiff, decided to set one up myself.
“The benefits of libraries of things are endless - providing opportunities to share precious resources and create connections with people in your community"
Ella Smillie, co-founder, added: "The availability of the Circular Economy fund will help to make Wales a trailblazer in sustainability, and we're delighted to be working with Local Authorities and community groups who are benefitting from this fund to make borrowing better than buying in Wales."
Ella Smillie, a co-founder and director at Benthyg, is available to speak to the media on 07734 444 882.
Co-options, Denbighshire
Started in 1989, Co-options has provided work opportunities to adults with learning disabilities in Denbighshire for more than 30 years. It provides support to about 75 individuals each week, via a number of different social enterprises providing different services – including Bike Hub Rhyl, Derwen Cornel Farm, the Harbour Hub café and others.
About a quarter of Co-options’ income comes from its textiles collections service. Team members collect textiles from members of the public via a number of waste textiles deposit banks, and a collection service run alongside the waste collection team at Denbighshire County Council. Collected textiles are then re-sold via Co-options’ shop on the High Street in Rhyl.
The Circular Economy Funding provided to Co-options via the local authority will allow them to refurbish their high street store, including replacing all existing lighting with energy-efficient LED bulbs, and installing a new heating system.
The funds will also allow for the purchase of two new electric vehicles, which will carry out Co-options’ household textiles waste collections.
John Turner, manager and director at Co-options, said: “The grant has been really useful for us - it’s come at the right time for us during lockdown, and it’s been a little bit of a boost.
“Many of our textiles bins have seen better days, and this will allow us to refit them
“And while we can’t open our Rhyl store during lockdown, we have the time to make refurbishments, with a view to re-opening once we’re able to do so.”
John Turner, manager and director at Co-options, is available to speak at 01745 851 454.
The strategy is focussed around six core themes of activity.
- Driving innovation in materials use
- Upscaling prevention and re-use
- Building on our recycling record
- Investing in infrastructure
- Enabling community and business action
- Aligning Government levers
We have also set out eight ambitious headline actions.
- We will support businesses in Wales to reduce their carbon footprint by becoming more resource efficient.
- We will provide the tools to enable community action.
- We will phase out unnecessary single-use items, especially plastic.
- We will eradicate avoidable food waste.
- We will procure on a basis which prioritises goods and products which are made from remanufactured, refurbished and recycled materials or come from low carbon and sustainable materials like wood.
- We will strive to achieve the highest rates of recycling in the world.
- We will reduce the environmental impact of the waste collection from our homes and businesses.
- We will take full responsibility for our waste.