Major funding boost for tackling waste in Wales
27 January 2009
A multi-million pound funding boost has been announced today which will enable local authorities in Wales to invest in modern and sustainable waste management systems to treat separately collected food waste and waste that cannot be recycled or composted.
This additional funding, starting from £4m in 2009-10 and rising to an estimated £74.3m in 2016/17 will be met mostly from local authority resources although is being underpinned by a significant amount of Welsh Assembly Government investment.
As result of this investment six collaborative waste procurement projects will now be able to go ‘live’ over the next two years, including Project Gwyrdd an ambitious project aimed at ensuring the waste success of five South East Wales authorities. These projects will massively reduce the risk of Wales facing massive European infraction fines for failing to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Cllr John Davies (Pembrokeshire), WLGA Leader said:
“Local authorities have a history and track record of collaboration over waste and are already two years ahead of meeting EU landfill diversion targets. The public are now more environmentally responsible than ever and are recycling more than ever, however without sufficient investment in waste procurement, collaboration alone will not be enough to meet long-term waste targets.”
“For many years local authorities have called for this huge investment for dealing with Waste. Indeed, we estimate the overall funding gap to deal with food collections, food waste treatment and energy from waste to be in the region of £120m by the time we hit 2024-25. Today’s announcement is testament to the huge progress that the waste consortia across Wales are making and will enable the first wave of procurement projects to succeed, allowing others to follow.”
Cllr Aled Roberts (Wrexham), WLGA Environment and Housing Spokesperson added:
“We fully recognise the funding pressures facing central government during this challenging financial period and welcome the additional investment being put into modern waste technologies and disposal facilities to support local authorities to achieve the levels of recycling that are seen across other European countries and which we are capable of reaching.”
“However, whilst welcoming the Assembly Government’s commitment to work in partnership on this agenda, we also realise that local government still has to find the largest share of the cake. This is going to be challenging, but one we know we can tackle through the strong partnership procurements we have in place.
This announcement further demonstrates concerted action from central and local government to put our environment first despite these extraordinarily difficult financial times. It will also enable both sides to succeed in meeting European waste obligations and deliver on the Making the Connections Agenda.”
Details of the full funding package have not yet been agreed although the Welsh Assembly Government’s Strategic Capital Investment Board has already considered a £26m bid to support food waste treatment and which is fully supported by Assembly Ministers.
Waste projects being taken forward will be staggered to ensure that targets can be met and to ensure that the market can cope. Subsequently, funding will be awarded at various times as waste consortia enter different stages of their planning and have successful bids agreed by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Notes to Editors
• This additional funding will be available to authorities via the Welsh Assembly Government’s Sustainable Waste Management Grant
• The Five South East Wales authorities are: Monmouthshire, Caerphilly, Newport, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
• This additional grant will be no more than 25% of the net fee incurred by local authorities in securing waste treatment
• Each waste consortia or any local authority applying for funding for a specific project will need to make a full business case and show evidence of a tender process approval
• In 2007-08 waste management in Wales cost £227,912,765
Ends