For the first time, Wales is recycling or composting more than half of its municipal waste - with the latest statistics showing that Welsh councils collectively recycled 53% of their waste in the first quarter of 2012/13.
This means that Wales continues to lead the rest of the UK on recycling and is on course to meet its first statutory target of 52%.
Despite such impressive results, the Minister stressed the importance of recycling even more to help reach Wales’s ambitious statutory recycling targets. He reminded the Welsh public to reuse and recycle whatever they can in order to avoid unnecessary waste being sent to landfill.
The Minister said:
“2012 has been a milestone year for waste and recycling in Wales.
“Our success is due to the hard work of local authorities and the commitment of the communities they serve – both of which should be very proud of the progress they have made.
“However, as we begin 2013 I urge everyone to do a little bit more and recycle everything we can to ensure Wales’s precious resources are maximised rather then sent to landfill. As people come up with their New Year’s resolutions, it would be great if they could pledge to recycle throughout the house not just in the kitchen, rinse their recyclables before putting them out for collection, or always use their food waste caddy for their kitchen leftovers.
“It is essential that such behaviours become part of our daily routines if we are to meet our challenging targets of 70% recycling by 2025 and zero waste by 2050.
“The past year has shown that the people of Wales recognise the importance of living more sustainably. I thank them for everything they have achieved during the last 12 months and look forward to seeing what we can achieve during 2013."