A FAILURE to hit recycling targets could see Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) hit with a penalty of over £100k.

The Welsh Government has set all Wales’ councils with a 64 per cent recycling target of all waste and with MCC currently predicting this year’s performance to only achieve between 62 and 63 per cent, they will potentially face fines of between £53k and £133,500.

Public awareness of climate change and the plastic free movement has seen a reduction in the available material for recycling and a report due to go before MCC’s cabinet on Friday, 20th December shows that a return to returnable glass milk bottle in Monmouthshire’s primary schools has removed 437,000 plastic milk bottles or 25 tonnes out of school recycling bags last year.

The report identifies that discarded food waste in 2015 accounted for 25 per cent of waste in the black bag collection across Wales and if Monmouthshire could divert all food waste into recycling, it could add an additional 1,800 tones of recyclable waste, increasing their total rate by four per cent and save £72,000 on treatment costs.

MCC have decided not to chase waste in order to meet targets but will try to focus on reducing waste production wherever possible. "Promotions and campaigns to reduce food waste, single use plastics and using returnable milk bottles impact negatively on recycling tonnages but remain the right thing to do for the waste hierarchy and the environment" said author of the report Laura Carter, senior technical and business officer for Waste and Street services".

This will begin with a campaign in January 2020 which will look to further educate residents on recycling as the council estimate that 50 per cent of what is contained in black bags at kerbside collection "is recyclable within our current service offering with food waste accounting for half of this".

Monmouthshire has made a decision not to look for waste for recycling tonnages in order to meet targets and instead ensure that focus is given to reducing waste production. Promotions and campaigns to reduce food waste, single use plastics, and using returnable milk bottles impact negatively on recycling tonnages but remain the right thing to do for the waste hierarchy and the environment.

The current trial of polypropylene bags replacing the red and purple plastic bags is popular with many residents and contributes a cash saving of £45,000 county-wide, although the scrutiny of contents is elevated and some are being rejected at the doorstep.

The report believes that "education and enforcement policies that target residents that do not participate in recycling and continue to cause issues for the wider community are crucial in achieving high recycling rates".

After three stages of prompting a resident on recycling properly a fixed warning penalty notice will follow.

Garden waste has been crucial to many local authorities in achieving recycling targets which is why the service is so heavily subsidised. But MCC will discuss replacing the current reusable bag and permit scheme, currently costing £34.56 with a fortnightly wheeled bin service at £31.71 which would make it easier for crews to collect, although with many gardens being at the rear of the property, gardeners will not get a wheelie bin through the house.