Torfaen Council is meeting tough landfill targets and is one of Wales' top performers, according to new figures. Figures released by the Environment Agency Wales reveal that the council used 74.5 per cent of its landfill allowance in 2006/07- the seventh best percentage in Wales. Over this period, 23,746 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) went to landfill, against an overall allowance of 31,865 tonnes. The council sent 6,903 tonnes less to landfill compared to 2005/06.
Executive Member for Operational Services, Cllr John Cunningham, said: "The latest figures are very encouraging and show what positive steps we are taking to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. I'm proud of the progress we are making thanks to the help and enthusiasm of residents for recycling."
According to the Environment Agency report, all 22 local authorities in Wales achieved their 2006/07 allowance obligations. Local authorities sent 754,582 tonnes of BMW to landfill compared to the 2006/07 allowance allocation of 943,999 tonnes.
And over the last two years, Wales has seen a reduction in the use of the overall annual allowance. Over the coming years allowances will be reduced. Only 710,000 tonnes can be sent to landfill in Wales in 2009/10.
Currently, Wales is 6.3 per cent over this allowance which equates to 44,582 tonnes.
If targets are not met, councils will be fined for every tonne of waste over its maximum allowance that goes to landfill.
"We are confident that with the continued rollout of the twin bin scheme along with other measures we are taking, we can meet targets for Torfaen," added Cllr Cunningham.
Torfaen's recycling rate is currently 37 per cent - just three per cent short of the Welsh Assembly's 2009-10 target. And the council is currently in the top 25 per cent of Welsh authorities for its recycling performance.
Some 24,000 homes are now included in the twin bin scheme which sees kitchen and garden waste collected one week and household rubbish collected on the other.
Recycling is collected every week.
The scheme will cover the majority of homes in the county by 2009.