Welsh recycling rates decline outside the home

Mark Mansfield

People in Wales are far less likely to recycle regularly at work or university than they are at home, new research has found.

While 94% say they regularly recycle household waste, just 61% say they recycle “very often” at work, falling to 45% among students at college or university.

The figures come from WRAP’s Annual Tracker Survey 2026 and follow the introduction of new workplace recycling rules in Wales more than two years ago.

Since April 2024, workplaces, educational settings and other organisations have been required to separate key recyclable materials including paper and card, glass, metal, plastic and food waste.

However, the survey suggests access to recycling facilities can still vary considerably outside the home.

Only 30% of respondents said they had seen lots of recycling facilities in their workplace, while 20% could not recall seeing any.

Among students, 38% said they could not recall seeing any recycling options at their college or university.

Environmental organisation WRAP Cymru said employers and educational institutions could help close the gap by making recycling facilities more visible and easier to use.

Angela Spiteri, senior marketing manager at WRAP, said: “Wales is already one of the world’s top recycling nations, and a huge amount of hard work has gone into getting us here. But our latest findings show that being a great recycler at home doesn’t necessarily mean those habits follow us when we leave the house.

“Now, more than two years on from the introduction of the workplace recycling law, organisations across Wales have been doing a lot to make recycling easier. The next step is helping people build those good habits into their everyday lives, whether that be at work, university or wherever else their day takes them.”

Cardiff University is among the organisations working with WRAP Cymru to encourage recycling among students.

Georgina Taubman, the university’s waste minimisation manager, said: “Universities can help students establish habits that stay with them long after they graduate.

“At Cardiff University, we want recycling to be as simple and straightforward as possible. That means giving staff and students clear information and making recycling easy to understand in the places they use every day.”

Cardiff-based law firm Hugh James has also introduced workplace signage and staff communications to encourage recycling.

Deborah James, head of facilities at the firm, said the introduction of the workplace recycling legislation had provided an opportunity to review its approach and had resulted in more materials being diverted from general waste.

Momentum

Cabinet Secretary for Sustainability Llyr Gruffydd said: “Wales has earned its reputation as one of the world’s leading recycling nations thanks to the collective efforts of households, businesses, public services and communities across the country.

“The workplace recycling law builds on that success by giving people more opportunities to recycle in workplaces, universities and other public places.

“Maintaining that momentum will be important as we work towards a more circular economy and a zero-waste Wales.”

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