Posted on: Tuesday 10 March 2026
The council has taken an important step towards improving Torfaen’s recycling services by purchasing a site in Blaenavon.
Subject to planning approval, the site, which formerly housed Capital Valley recycling facility, could house a new, state‑of‑the‑art recycling processing facility from 2028.
Located at Units 1 and 2 on the Kays and Kears Industrial Estate, the development would bring modern and efficient recycling infrastructure to the north of the borough.
If approved, all kerbside recycling collected across Torfaen will be taken to the new facility, where it will be sorted and prepared for its next destination.
Contractors will then transport the materials to specialist reprocessing sites, such as Stormy Down in Bridgend, where Torfaen’s food waste is turned into energy.
The new facility will help deliver a more resilient and future‑ready recycling service and represents a key milestone in the council’s Waste and Recycling Strategy for 2025–2030.
The project will only progress once planning approval is granted and sufficient external funding is secured. Funding is expected to come from a combination of allocated council capital, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funding, and financial support sought from Welsh Government.
Councillor Sue Morgan, Executive Member for Waste and Sustainability, said: “Purchasing this site is an exciting step forward for Torfaen and a real opportunity for the local area.
“We will continue to engage with the local community as this long-term project develops to look for ways to support the local offer.
“A modern processing facility would not only meet current demand but also support new national requirements, including kerbside collections of stretchy plastic film.
“Environmental services are a growing sector with real potential for local benefits, and creating a modern, well‑managed facility will bring this site back into productive use for Blaenavon.
“Our current recycling facility is operating at full capacity and cannot be expanded any further, so this new location gives us the opportunity to modernise, increase the amount of recycling we can process, and prepare for future changes in legislation.
”We understand residents will have questions about the site so we are creating a dedicated webpage to help address any concerns.”
Torfaen residents already recycle 65% of their waste, and this new facility will play an important role in helping the borough work towards the Welsh Government’s 70% recycling target.
Find out more about recycling in Torfaen