Welsh Government Environment Minister John Griffiths will today announce that two communities in Powys now recycle almost three quarters of their waste. The residents of Presteigne and Norton – supported by social enterprise Cwm Harry Land Trust – recycled 74 per cent of their municipal waste between April and June 2011.
The Minister will make the announcement as part of his keynote speech at a conference held by Cylch, Wales’ community recycling network, at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.
He will use the speech to recognise the important contribution which social enterprises and other non-profit-making organisations can make to Wales’ economy, but will also caution against complacency in the wake of record recycling rates, reminding delegates that there is still a long way to go before the nation as a whole reaches its 2025 recycling target of 70 per cent.
Wales is the only country in the UK with statutory targets for municipal recycling and the only country where every council provides a separate collection for food or food and green waste. In 2010-2011 Wales recycled 44 per cent of its waste; the next quarterly recycling figures for Wales as a whole – for April to June 2011 – will be released on 27 September.
The Minister will tell delegates:
“One of the key reasons the Presteigne and Norton project has been able to reach this level of recycling is the huge effort they have made to engage with the local community. This has involved employing local staff, café drop in sessions, talks, litter picks and much more. The result of this fantastic engagement is a 92 per cent participation rate and a community that understands and supports the scheme.
“I believe this ability to connect with the local community is one of the key strengths of social enterprises. For a number of reasons the third sector is uniquely placed to work with communities.
”You are seen as independent and are widely trusted; this gives you credibility as an effective advocate. Your people-focused and caring approach enables you to build lasting and meaningful relationships with the community in which you operate.
”You are also seen to be very flexible and responsive in meeting people’s needs and often you are part of the community yourselves. This builds trust and enables myths and misconceptions to be addressed directly with your community.”
