Welsh recycling target welcomed, but concerns over incineration

29 April 2009

The Welsh Assembly Government's waste strategy, launched today (Wednesday April 29), sets a new target of 70 per cent recycling of all waste by 2025.

The recycling target has been warmly welcomed by Friends of the Earth Cymru, but the environment group is critical of the Assembly Government's proposal to class the toxic ash produced by incinerators as recycling.

Friends of the Earth Cymru campaigner Haf Elgar said:

"Friends of the Earth Cymru welcomes the target of 70% recycling by 2025 - this is necessary and totally achievable. It's already been reached in some regions, such as San Francisco and Flanders, and surpassed by community projects such as the zero waste village of St Arvans in Monmouthshire.

"Recycling not only saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions, it's also a green industry that can create badly needed jobs and promote new technological development. Recycling gives every resource a value - if we're not recycling, we're throwing money away as well as damaging the environment.

"However, we're very disappointed that toxic bottom ash from incinerators will be counted towards the recycling target in Wales. We're deeply concerned about the Welsh Assembly Government's support for incineration, and the proposals for large-scale regional incineration in Wales. Incineration is not climate-friendly, and it's well established that building incinerators can negatively impact recycling rates.

"Waste prevention remains the best environmental option, as it avoids using materials and energy. We're pleased to see the strategy's inclusion of targets on waste reduction, as more than anything else, we need to be moving quickly to reduce the waste we produce."

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