Blaenau Gwent Council inspects Waste From Every Household in Recycling Drive
Blaenau Gwent, Wales – Every one of the more than 32,000 homes in Blaenau Gwent has undergone a waste inspection in a concerted effort to boost recycling rates, council officials confirmed. The proactive initiative, spanning the last six to eight years, involves examining household black bag waste for recyclable materials.
The inspections are part of a wider enforcement strategy aimed at ensuring all residents adhere to recycling guidelines. Andrew Long, manager of the council’s frontline enforcement services, explained the process: “We take a black bag out of someone’s presented residual waste, photograph and log it, and take it to the Silent valley HWRC (Household Waste and Recycling Center) and examine it for any recyclable material it might contain.”
If recyclable items are found,residents are issued a legal notice and perhaps a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of £100,with the possibility of prosecution for non-payment. However, Mr. long emphasized the council’s preference for education and promotion of the “Keeping Up With the Joneses” campaign, designed to encourage universal recycling participation.
“There’s a large body of work that the guys do proactively - along with the crews – notifying us where waste is being presented on collection days,” Long added. “We will subsequently monitor those addresses if there’s repeat offending.” The council stated thay are “very proactive when it comes to targeting non-compliant properties.”
The impact of these efforts is already being seen, according to local councillor Gareth Alban Davies. “A lady contacted me to say that she put out four black bags every three weeks and felt she was recycling everything,” Davies said. “A waste warden paid her a visit and vastly reduced how much black bag waste she puts out.”
The inspections and enforcement are intended to improve Blaenau Gwent’s overall recycling performance and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, contributing to broader environmental goals. Residents can find more data about the council’s recycling policies and the “Keeping Up With the Joneses” campaign at https://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/resident/waste-recycling/enforcement/are-you-keeping-up-with-the-joneses/.
