Party of Wales Gwynedd Councillors' Group

Gwynedd's residents now recycle 65.9% of its waste, slightly higher than the all-Wales 2020-2021 recycling figure of 65.4%. This means a saving of £4 million to Gwynedd taxpayers every year ensuring that 17,000 tonnes of carbon emissions is not omitted to the atmosphere.

These are some of the figures Councillor Gwynfor Owen learnt of during a recent visit to the Harlech Recycling Centre at the Ffridd Rasus site. All Meirionnydd waste is taken to the site and is recycled or incinerated to generate electricity.

“It was a real eye opener,” explains Councillor Gwynfor Owen who represents the residents of Harlech and Talsarnau on Gwynedd Council.

“It was a pleasure to see the site and to understand more about the process that staff are following to dispose of waste from our homes here in Meirionnydd.

“Gwynedd Council don’t use landfill within the county now, everything is recycled or incinerated to produce energy, in the form of electricity. I am proud of the work the county is doing to reduce its environmental impact and we must thank local residents for reducing their waste and recycling materials in their blue recycling caddies.

“Ffridd Rasus staff need to be congratulated for their professional work in running the site - the overall image and cleanliness of the location is to be commended. Landscaping has been happening at the site, with more work to do. The centre is looking tip top.

Councillor Catrin Wager, who has responsibility for waste and recycling in Gwynedd, said: "The average person in Gwynedd produces over half a tonne of waste a year, most of which is recycled in some form.

“This material is usually sold for a profit bringing an average income of around £700,000 a year to the council. This equates to a 1 per cent increase in council tax.

“We are very grateful to Gwynedd residents for their commitment and persistence in reducing waste and recycling. But there is always more to do. We encourage everyone to work together to continue to ensure that we make the best use of goods and products in our homes to minimize our environmental impact and seek a green and prosperous future for future generations.”