Waste reduction must be the first step

21 June 2010

The Welsh Assembly Government's (WAG) waste strategy 'Towards Zero Waste' launched today is a positive step forward for reducing waste in Wales, and should be a clear message to Councils not to go down the route of signing incineration contracts.

Responding to the strategy, Friends of the Earth Cymru welcomed the change in focus to targets for reducing our waste, but calls for more ambitious recycling targets.

The group also wants WAG to drop incineration as an option for dealing with waste, as it would seriously risk undermining targets for recycling and waste reduction.

Haf Elgar, Friends of the Earth Cymru campaigner, said:

"Friends of the Earth Cymru has long emphasised that it is essential to focus on waste reduction and that a much higher target was necessary in order to achieve the Welsh Assembly Government's stated aim of becoming a 'One Planet Wales' by 2050. We are pleased that this has been recognised and that the waste strategy sets a long term target of 65% reduction by 2050 as advocated by Friends of the Earth Cymru and will start to tackle the problem immediately with annual cuts of 1.5%.

"We continue to believe that the target for recycling needs to be more ambitious. Many countries are already achieving and going beyond 70% recycling rates. If Wales is serious about sustainability, we should be aiming for 70 per cent recycling by 2015 and 80 per cent by 2020.

"With waste set to decrease and recycling to increase, large expensive incinerators are not necessary. Incineration is not a 'green' technology - it produces toxic ash, emits excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, and ties us into a culture of creating rubbish."

NOTES

1. For more information, see Friends of the Earth Cymru's Response to the Consultation 'Towards Zero Waste' in July 2009

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577