Welsh Government
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‘Money in mattress’ boost for Welsh councils
Local authorities across Wales will find it easier to make money from recycling and avoid their share of a seven figure landfill tax bill thanks to new funding.
A Welsh Assembly Government grant will give councils the opportunity to develop the facilities they need to be able to ‘harvest’ valuable materials from rubbish and sell them on to generate revenue. A second grant will go towards developing a new plastics recycling facility which will result in a landfill tax saving of up to £3.8 million per year.
Around half a million old mattresses end up in Welsh landfill sites every year, which equates to £1 million being thrown away. In future local authorities will have the opportunity to take the steel bed springs and sell them on for profit.
That’s because in order to achieve high recycling local authorities will have to focus on all their waste streams, including items not previously considered recyclable. £3.16 million funding will give them the chance to invest in the infrastructure they need to be able to deal with difficult to deal with items such as carpets and electrical equipment as well as mattresses. This will give them a greater chance of meeting future statutory recycling targets and reducing their landfill costs.
£1 million has also been committed to a project to develop a plastics recycling facility which will be able to process a wide range of plastic products such as yoghurt pots, margarine tubs and food containers. Keeping this plastic from landfill will save councils money in landfill taxes, it also means the average householder will see the amount in their rubbish bin shrink significantly as they are able to dispose of more items in their recycling bin.
The social enterprise – whose location is yet to be decided – is also likely to provide a range of new jobs, both on-site and in related industries.
Announcing the funding, Environment Minister Jane Davidson said:
“We cannot afford to continue sending waste to landfill, which is why this funding will give local authorities the chance to invest in the infrastructure needed to achieve high levels of recycling.
“This funding is a real boost for local authorities,. It also demonstrates our commitment to reaching the ambitious targets we have set ourselves, and to delivering economic and environmental benefits to the whole of Wales.’
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