Circular Materials Mapping Tool for Wales
WRAP Cymru Launces New Circular Materials Mapping Tool for Wales
Funded by the Welsh Government, WRAP has developed this user-friendly Circular Materials Mapping Tool for Wales – a useful resource for Welsh stakeholders across the plastics, paper, and wood value chains.
It provides an interactive, visual representation of the extent of Wales’ plastics, paper, and wood sectors, plotting business locations and helping to identify where there are clusters.
Users can:
- Filter by company type
- Explore the number of businesses in each local authority
- Explore the tonnage and type of material handled at selected sites
- Explore opportunities to source recycled feedstocks and find outlets for material waste in Wales.
The tool is intended to help support greater collaboration between the many businesses that make up Wales’ plastics, paper and wood. sectors. It provides businesses with the opportunity to further enhance their understanding of the wider Welsh materials sector.
Wales Food Waste Routemap
WRAP Cymru Announces Wales Food Waste Routemap
A new Welsh Food Waste Roadmap report has been published by WRAP which identifies a suite of interventions which could deliver reductions in food waste across the supply chain.
In March 2021, the Welsh Government published its ‘Beyond Recycling’ strategy, which aims to make the circular economy a reality in Wales. This commits to a target of reducing avoidable food waste by 50% by 2025, relative to a 2007 baseline, and a reduction of 60% by 2030.
WRAP promotes that it's modelling provides Welsh Government with a selection of delivery options to reach the target, for example higher ambition interventions vs lower ambition interventions.
The results suggest that Welsh Government’s targeted reduction in food waste of 60% is reachable, but not easy to achieve. This means going beyond current action and taking proactive approaches.
Taking an ambitious approach could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 650 thousand tonnes CO2e, with monetary savings of over £800 million, with more than a third of the monetary benefits being experienced by Welsh households.
Full details here: Wrap Cymru
*Download WRAP "Welsh Food Waste Routemap 2023" Report
*Download WRAP "Welsh Food Waste Routemap" Technical Report
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Environmental Protection Bill 2022 Update
The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products)(Wales) Bill 2022
Bill was laid before the Senedd
Today, the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill (‘the Bill’) and Explanatory Memorandum has been laid before Senedd Cymru (‘the Senedd’).
This Bill is a key step in halting the flow of plastic pollution into our environment and forms part of our response to the climate and nature emergency. The Bill makes it an offence for a person to supply or offer to supply (including for free), the following commonly littered and unnecessary single-use plastic (SUP) products to a consumer in Wales:
- Cutlery
- plates
- stirrers
- drinking straws – this product has an exemption for health needs
- plastic stemmed cotton buds
- balloon sticks
- expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene fast-food containers
- expanded and foamed extruded polystyrene cups
- polystyrene lids for all cups and fast-food containers
- thin plastic single-use carrier bags – this product has an exemption for health or safety needs
- all products made of oxo-degradable plastic
The Bill provides local authorities with powers to enforce this offence.
Importantly, the Bill includes a regulation-making power to enable Welsh Ministers to add or amend the SUP products that are subject to this offence. They will first be required to report on the products that they are considering. Such regulations will be made subject to the approval of the Senedd.
We must take urgent action to avoid leaving a toxic legacy of plastic for future generations to deal with. As a government, we are building on the momentum of communities across Wales who have chosen to go plastic free, defy our throwaway culture and tackle littering.
This Made-in-Wales Bill will enable the Welsh Government to be at the forefront of action on plastic and place Welsh Ministers in the driving seat for future action in this area. Members of the Senedd have been calling for urgent action to curb the use of non-essential and non-medical single use plastics. I look forward to working with them on the provisions in the Bill during the coming months.
Illegal Waste Carriers Targeted by NRW
Illegal Waste Carriers Targeted by Natural Resources Wales
Illegal waste carriers targeted in Ewloe Bridge partnership operation
An enforcement operation was recently held on Ewloe weighbridge, Flintshire, with the aim of clamping down on illegal waste carriers and illegitimate waste sites.
This partnership operation between Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and North Wales Police is one of several recently held to targeting criminals who use the roads to commit waste offences. These regular operations take place at various locations across North Wales.
The operation held on Friday 29 July saw vehicles carrying waste being actively targeted. Any suspected vehicle was stopped by the DVSA and police with the aim of finding out if there was any waste on board and where it was due to end up. If any waste offences were found to have been committed, NRW Enforcement Officers would then deal with them accordingly.
Carys Williams, NRW Team Leader Industry & Waste Regulation North East, said:
“By working in partnership with the DVSA and North Wales Police, we send out a positive message to those who seek to profit by breaking the law, that Natural Resources Wales will not tolerate any harm to North Wales communities or damage to the environment.
“Illegal waste carriers can have a detrimental effect on legitimate waste businesses that invest in the correct measures. Therefore it is essential that we look to take action to protect people and the environment, as well as safeguarding the North Wales waste market.
“We would like to thank the DVSA, North Wales Police and all local authorities who play their crucial roles in these regular enforcement operations across North Wales.”
David Collings, DVSA’s Head of Enforcement Delivery, said:
“DVSA’s priority is protecting everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
“By working in partnership with other agencies we are able to pool our resources to help crack down on those flouting road safety rules and damaging the environment.
“We look forward to working with Natural Resources Wales, and North Wales Police again and want to remind local vehicle operators of their duty to make sure their vehicles are well maintained and safely loaded to keep local Flintshire road users safe.”
Wales' Second Emission Reduction Plan Announced
New stats: Wales is on track for climate targets, but big changes lie ahead in ‘decade of action’
Emissions reduced by 40% in 2020, exceeding the target of a 27% reduction on 1990. Wales is also likely to have met its first carbon budget (2016-2020), which set a legal target of achieving an average reduction of 23% on 1990 The latest data confirms we are likely to have outperformed our carbon budget achieving an average reduction of 28%.
To coincide with the data, the Welsh Government published its very first Public Sector Emissions Report to keep track of its bold ambitions to see the entire public sector carbon neutral by 2030, inclusive of the NHS and all local authorities.
Reflecting on the figures, Julie James MS thanked communities and organisations across Wales for their efforts but warned that globally and at home, much more needs to be done in order to avert climate chaos.
Social justice and tackling the climate emergency are at the heart of the Welsh Government’s priorities.
Now both the energy crisis and cost of living crisis show Wales needs to double down on efforts. Scientists have also been clear that Wales is particularly vulnerable to extreme flood events as climate change intensifies, with a failure of action guaranteed to jeopardise the wellbeing of future generations.
Net Zero Wales details over 120 policies and proposals, including building 20,000 new low carbon homes and increasing community tree planting, as part of efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
An all-Wales plan which is underway highlights the need for everyone in Wales to do their bit to drive emissions down, with more than half needing to be driven by societal or behavioural changes with a large reduction in the amount of energy and natural resources we use. This means government, communities and businesses working together to change how we travel, shop and heat our homes, while switching to lower carbon diets.
Calling for a continued Team Wales attitude, Climate Change Minister, Julie James said:
"Today’s data is an important step on our journey towards a cleaner, greener Wales. The figures show we are on track, and I want to thank all those who have helped us deliver on this crucial milestone.
While we must continue shouldering our global responsibility to protect our precious planet for future generations, the Welsh Government cannot work in silo to confront the climate and nature emergencies. Everybody in Wales has started to realise the benefits of change, and now is not the time to rest.
The 2020s must be the decade of action. Reducing emissions more in this decade than in any previous ten-year period will be an uphill challenge and we may need to take difficult choices. But, if we are to see a cleaner, stronger and more prosperous Wales, it is a challenge we can only face together".
As part of this announcement, the Welsh Government produced its second emissions reduction plan for Carbon Budget 2 (2021 to 2025), setting the foundations to make Wales net zero by 2050. This Plan is the start of our journey to net zero and a greener, stronger, fairer Wales.
It focuses on our second carbon budget (2021–2025).
It also looks ahead to build the foundations for Carbon Budget 3 and our 2030 target, as well as net zero by 2050.
Please follow the links:
Engagement approach around Climate Change 2022-26
Public Sector Net Zero data and recommendations
Wales hits 90% Recycling on all C&D Waste
NRW survey reveals construction industry’s contribution to Wales’ world-leading recycling credentials.
A survey produced by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has solidified Wales as one of the world’s biggest recyclers after finding 90% of its construction and demolition waste is sent for re-use, recycling or recovery.
The Construction and Demolition Waste Survey, which was produced on behalf of Welsh Government estimated that 3.4M tonnes of waste was produced in Wales in 2019.
Data was collected from 508 businesses of varying sizes from a range of construction sectors throughout Wales between April 2021 and September 2021.
Accuracy of the latest study has been improved given higher levels of participation in key sectors and adopting lessons learnt from previous surveys.
The survey found most construction waste was produced by Civil Engineering Constructions (36%), with the General and Domestic building sectors tying for second place (16% each). The remaining 6 construction sectors, including highway construction and commercial buildings, accounted for less than 10%.
Of the waste generated, 90% was sent for re-use, recycling or recovery for use elsewhere.
John Fry, Lead Specialist Advisor Waste Policy for NRW, said:
“Using Wales’ resources sustainably is at the heart of everything we do and we’re incredibly proud of the fact that Wales is such a high recycling nation".
“Surveys like this one are an important measuring tool and it’s encouraging to see the construction and demolition industry treating waste as a resource and sending less to landfill".
“Despite these great results there’s still work to be done. This includes reducing the amount of waste produced in the first place. The survey report has outlined further opportunities to improve and explore as part of Wales’ ongoing sustainable management goals and the long-term push towards a circular economy”.
Source: NRW Press Release
Wales paves road to zero waste with recycled nappies
Wales paves road to zero waste with recycled nappies in A487 resurface
As part of Wales’ bid to become a zero waste nation by 2050, the Welsh Government has trialled using recycled nappies to resurface a stretch of road on the A487 between Cardigan and Aberystwyth.
Fibres from 4.3 tonnes of used nappies have replaced materials used to make asphalt that are normally shipped in from Europe and beyond. The other ingredient - aggregate - was sourced within a 45 mile radius, sustaining local jobs and cutting carbon by shortening the supply chain.
Nappies and other absorbent hygiene products are currently or have plans to be collected in 15 out of 22 local authorities in Wales. Still, an estimated 143 million nappies are thrown away in Wales each year.
Considered a single-use plastic, they could take hundreds of years to degrade in landfill. Though the plastic lining can be recycled easily, the fibres in the absorbing layer have previously proven a challenge.
To address this, Welsh Government through its SMART innovation programme funded Ammanford-based NappiCycle to clean used nappies and separate the plastic and cellulose fibres for re-use. It is working with Welsh business to explore other market uses for the fibres.
The road is just one of many innovations Welsh Government is spearheading in its aim to move to a circular economy - where waste is turned into a resource and kept in use for as long as possible.
If the trial - which will undergo rigorous environmental assessments to scrutinise breakdown of the material over time - proves successful, the initiative could be scaled up - reducing waste, tackling climate change and creating green jobs in the process.
Minister for Climate Change, Julie James said:
The road to zero waste requires innovation, collaboration and bold action. We have elevated ourselves from one of the world’s worst recyclers to one of the best since devolution began. I have no doubt that with a Team Wales effort we can achieve world number one recycler, whilst ensuring no more rubbish is sent to landfill after 2025 and none sent to energy incinerators after 2050.
Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said:
Welsh Government is committed to supporting our businesses to design and develop innovative solutions to global problems, which helps boost our economy and protect our society.
I’m delighted our Innovation Team have been able to play a pioneering role in taking this project forward. Once again, Wales is demonstrating it is a leading player in applying research and development to Circular Economy solutions.
Wales is ranked first in the UK, second in Europe and third in the world for household waste recycling. Wales remains the only country in the world to enshrine a Well-Being of Future Generations Act in law, meaning all policy decisions made today must consider the impact on the generations of tomorrow.
Source: Welsh Government Press Release
Illegal Waste Exporters & Waste Crime Plans
Climate Change Minister Julie James has revealed plans to transform the waste industry in Wales, making it easier to crack down on illegal exports and on waste crime.
Climate Change Minister Julie James confirmed the Welsh Government will jointly consult with the other UK nations on a digital waste tracking service.
The tracking service would make it mandatory for those handling waste to record information about what happens to it, from the point it is produced to the point it is reused, recycled, or disposed.
Minister for Climate Change Julie James said:
Wales is a global leader when it comes to recycling, and today’s announcement is a further example of how we are taking action to move to a circular economy.
Introducing a mandatory digital waste tracking service will greatly improve transparency in the waste sector and it will crucially also support our action to get maximum value from the materials we collect.
This will help businesses to comply with their duty of care with regards to waste and help them make more informed choices about how their waste is managed.
It will also give businesses the information they need to identify and unlock the full potential value of waste materials, by replacing raw materials with recycled material and providing confidence in supply chains for new innovative solutions.
Our aim is for the service to also provide annual information on industrial, commercial, construction and demolition waste produced in Wales to replace the current periodic surveys.
Consultation open until 15 April 2022: Introduction of mandatory digital waste tracking
Source: Welsh Government Press Release
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