Wales is reducing, re-using and recycling more and more - and the latest statistics prove it, the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing Jane Davidson said today (3 October).

The annual recycling statistics for Local Authorities across Wales show that the amount of domestic rubbish which is now recycled or composted has gone up from last year’s figure of 27.7% to 32.2% – a rise of 4.5%.

Seven local authorities are already recycling more than the 40% of household waste – two years ahead of European targets. These are:

• Ceredigion
• Monmouthshire
• Anglesey
• Conwy
• Flintshire
• Wrexham
• Torfaen

"I am delighted that these annual figures show steady progress in meeting our European recycling targets," said Ms Davidson. "I am pleased that the WLGA has said all local authorities will hit the 40% target by 2009-10, and I am confident from early indications of the first quarter of 2008-09 that we are continuing to go in the same upward direction."

The latest figures show how Wales has come from third to second place in the four home nations. Wales is also improving its recycling rate faster than in England to close the gap from 2.7% in 2006-07 to 1% for the third quarter of 2007-08, the last comparable period for which figures are available.

The new figures come just weeks after the Assembly Government revealed that Wales is two years ahead of European targets on sending less rubbish to landfill. The proportion of waste sent to landfill improved by 5 percentage points, falling to 64%.

Ms Davidson congratulated local authorities for their work during a visit to the Lamby Way Recycling Site run by Cardiff City Council.

"Cardiff has made an great improvement and is among the top local authorities in Wales with the biggest increases in recycling and composting. Cardiff is to be commended on both its commercial food waste trial and on rolling out household food waste collections to all households across the city.

"I am delighted to visit this recycling site which shows how local authorities are facing up to the challenge of changing the way we look at household rubbish. We no longer think of it as waste to go to landfill - but we are now looking at what we throw away and considering whether we can recycle, re-use or reduce," added Ms Davidson.

She said that Local Authorities in Wales now need to look at ways of recycling food waste to meet the next European target set for 2013 - 15%. "The more we recycle and the less we throw away into landfill the greater our impact will be as individuals, communities, companies and organisation in the battle against climate change," added the Minister. "This week I launched a major Assembly Government campaign to persuade people to tackle climate change by taking small steps. Recycling is another small step which can help reduce our carbon footprint."

The leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Rodney Berman, said: "Cardiff‘s recycling and composting performance has excelled in recent years. Through massive investment and developing the infrastructure to process this waste for reuse, Cardiff Council will become one of the most improved city authorities in the UK for recycling and composting."