Phased roll-out of new waste collections approved
Senior councillors have approved the phased roll-out of new waste collections which would eventually result in black bag waste being collected every four weeks rather than three.
A third of the Carmarthenshire’s residents are expected to shift to the new model of collection next autumn with the remaining two-thirds following suit in 2028 – and at that point the switch to four-weekly black bag collections is set to begin, a report before the council’s cabinet said.
The new system will mean householders separating more of their recyclable waste into different containers than currently. These containers will then be collected by refuse staff, and the frequency of recycling collections will increase.
The cabinet report said there will be separate weekly collections for glass, paper, cardboard, cans, and plastics including plastic film film. New weekly kerbside collections for textiles and batteries will also be introduced.
‘Blueprint collection system’
Cabinet approved the phased roll-out of the “blueprint” collection system, as it is known, at a meeting on July 31. The aim is to increase recycling rates, reduce the volume of so-called contaminated waste, and cut collection-related costs.
Introducing the report at the meeting, Cllr Edward Thomas, who has the waste portfolio, said the phased roll-out proposed was a “significant first step” in adopting the blueprint model.
“It signals our intent both to Welsh Government and to the public, demonstrating progress on our waste strategy ambitions, while enabling us to test, learn, and refine the service model ahead of full implementation,” he said.
The council had planned a full roll-out in 2026 but it required a new central depot at the Nantycaws household waste recycling centre near Carmarthen. Concerns about road safety and increased traffic on the main A48, which leads to and from Nantycaws, put that plan on the back burner.
The cabinet report said the three existing waste depots in the county would continue to be used while plans to improve the Nantycaws-A48 junction were developed. It added that the authority would continue to work closely with staff and trade unions as the phased roll-out was taken forward.
Recycling rates
Recycling rates in Carmarthenshire have been increasing, reflecting well on residents, but Welsh Government targets are also going up and new regulations come into force in 2028 which will result in financial penalties for black bag waste containing things which could be recycled.
It is expected that the Welsh Government will fund 60% of the costs of implementing blueprint model and the council 40%. The council has procured nine new “ultra low emission” refuse lorries which will start plying the streets on collection rounds from 2028.
Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, cabinet member for climate change, decarbonisation and sustainability, said he fully supported the change. “It’s essential if we want to reach our long-term environmental objectives and our commitments,” he said.
Council leader Darren Price said the phased roll-out was a pragmatic approach, and the proposals were approved.
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People would recycle more… if the packaging was recyclable. Unfortunately the stuff we can afford is often unrecyclable. Make affordable products with recyclable packaging and waste would drop off a cliff. Instead of down the nearest footpath (which is where all the waste is really going).
The discarded drinks cartons, cans, coffee cups, plastic bottles and takeaway boxes I see along hedgerows and grass verges are there not because it can’t be recycled but rather because the previous owners just don’t give a damn.
How much will the council tax go up each month to pay for the extra staff? I don’t understand how this improves things enviromentally. One depo in the middle of nowhere will increese the number of car trips by the staff & would require a gigantic carpark over farm land. Seems like alot of green washing to me. Would it not make more sense to tax the companies for producing so much packaging ? Things like tv boxes or amazon boxes should be reusable. Send it back to the people who made it rather than pass on the costs to… Read more »
The article above says that the council’s recycling changes will “cut collection-related costs” rather than push council tax up.
My gut says if it really did reduce costs they would be making more of a song & dance about it. How is having more staff & lorries cheaper?
Using something once & throwing it away & hoping it will be recycled is idiotic.
Companies should be taxed for what they have produced & encouraged to produce packaging that is reusuable. Anything less than that is greenwashing.
The report says nothing about having additional staff or lorries, but does suggest that the county’s three existing waste depots would close to be replaced by a new central depot at Nantycaws. The new lorries are more efficient too.
Throwing used packaging in the ground is becoming increasingly expensive. Recycling our spent packaging into materials which can then be used for other purposes makes far more environmental and economical sense.
Each house will have more bins. Slowing the work which would lead to more staff being required. As I understand it there are two choices for the new lorries & neither have compactors. They wont hold as much & require emptying more often (could lead to ques at the tip) Not seen anything about how eddicient the lorries will be. Only glass can be recycled. Everything els is down cycled. eg food cans. Only virgin metal is upto food standards. Everytime it’s used it get’s downcyled until it is unusable. This is why setting up a system of “recycling” is… Read more »
I’d guess that the merging of three depots into one and fewer black bag collections would free-up more staff for recycling with others being made redundant, hence the discussions with the unions. Low-emission vehicles are generally more efficient than traditional diesel lorries. Local authorities are unable to dictate to private businesses how they should package their own products, and the days of refillable containers for buying food are thankfully long gone. Instead, councils have to respond to a commercial world where recyclable materials are increasingly being used. This is the current reality, and I applaud Carmarthenshire Council’s new scheme to… Read more »
Recycling lorries goto 1200 houses a day.Black bag lorries 1400. As I understand it the new lorries will be doing 400. From a council prospective a single depo is a good idea but if they were serious about reducing emissions the depos would be by population centres (or atleast on a brwon feild site). If they were serious about reducing emissions they wouldn’t be making all the staff drive back & forth everyday. Only a few people would be going to Nantycaws & the rest would be picked up in Llanelli etc. This change is being pushed by the Senedd.… Read more »
It’s not the role of the council’s Waste and Recycling department to reduce emissions in the county, but if they can do so whilst maintaining their service to the residents then that contributes to an overall reduction.
There’s a momentum in our society towards having more recyclable packaging, and companies are responding to this individually because it now makes good commercial sense to do so.
Just to point out from your earlier post that steel is 100% recyclable and is the most recycled packaging material. Recycled steel can be, and is, used in steel for new food packaging.
Is this not the whole point of having a “future generations commissioner” ? To ensure councils do the rite thing & not just the bear minimum. True but when you realise how much damage is being caused by plastic why not nudge a faster change. We saw how effective the 5p per plastic bag was. Why did we stop there? Would make sense if you are correct on that one. But carboard & plastics get degraded over time & that’s the biggest chunk of recycling. This is all hyperthetical mind. Once reform are in power the whole project will be… Read more »
I’d suggest that if councils are doing the minimum, then they’re doing the ‘right thing’. If we collectively feel this isn’t enough, then we can influence that minimum through lobbying and the ballot box.
I’m not as certain as yourself that Reform UK will be running our government next year. Yes, some polls put the party ahead at the moment, but others do the same for Plaid Cymru and Labour.
There’s been some great strides forward for recycling in Wales, and many of us don’t wish to see that progress reversed by a flaky, populist, right-wing government next year.
The majority of people don’t seem to care.
It’s going to be close & with the new system they will have alot of seats & infuence.
The problem is every party is substandard. Farage is the only one coming in with positivity
Who in Carmarthen Council is responsible for the blue recycling bags in use at the moment? If this is part of a “”money saving ” policy ,it is a total failure!!! The quality is beyond sensible description!!
Bailed plastic (includes mechanically separated recycle sacks) used to be recycled by the Viridor plant at Avonmouth. This site closed last year. These bails are now shipped in bulk to Sweden, consolidated with many other councils in Wales, where it is now incinerated at a power station. That extra shipping costs more. The gauge of blue bags, more flimsy, has been halved.
I thought it went to N.I
But it turns out we are both incorrect.
myrecyclingwales.org
Seems to brake it all down quite well & most of it stays in Wales
This is a fiddle. Previously all glass in Carmarthenshire went into ‘bottle banks’ located at community centres, supermarkets and various council car parks. The ‘black tub’ for kerbside collection of glass was introduced not to increase recycling rates but just to add a ‘tonnage’ onto the domestic recycling statistics. No net gain, just massaging the ego of ministers in Cardiff.
Kerbside recycling collections have been shown to increase recycling rates by encouraging greater participation.