Make recycling your new New Year's resolution

30 January 2023

Healthy eating, keeping fit, reading more books... whatever you are tackling this January, we are asking you to also add 'recycling' to your list of New Year's resolutions.

Research suggests that nearly all of us will have abandoned our original New Year's resolutions by now, so we would like you to consider adopting a new and easy promise to 'recycle' more in 2023. By pledging to make some positives changes, such as recycling more, we can not only feel better and more in control of our own actions, but also make a big difference to our environment.

"To many of us, recycling now comes naturally, we don't even give it a second thought." says Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys. "In fact, Welsh citizens are some of the best recyclers in the world, with Powys residents currently recycling around 68.5% of their waste.

"However, the next Welsh Government targets require us to do even better, and by 2025 we must reach a county-wide recycling rate of 70%. This means, that we all need to make a determined effort to reduce the amount of waste we throw away and make sure we recycle as much as possible.

"By staying true to the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' mantra, we should all be able to stay on the right track, do our bit and help tackle the current climate emergency. Something positive to feel good about this new year."

A few simple tips to get you on your way to a more sustainable and rewarding lifestyle could be:

Reduce: When food shopping, choose products that have less, or more sustainable, packaging such as loose fruit and vegetables rather than pre-packaged items. Reduce the amount of food waste you have by using up leftovers in homemade soups or other meals, there are some great recipes on www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Reuse: Opt for a reusable water bottle or coffee mug to help reduce the number of single-use bottles or cups you get through. Consider buying items second-hand rather than new and selling or donating items you no longer use instead of throwing them out.

Recycle: Make every effort to recycle as much of your household waste as possible. It's amazing how much stuff can be added to your recycling boxes for the weekly collection - if you're not sure if it's recyclable or not, check out our handy guide online: A to Z of waste and recyclable items

"We already know that we are a county of conscientious recyclers who take great pride in doing our bit for the environment, and we have no doubt that together we will continue to make every effort to increase our recycling further and build a more sustainable future for the generations to come." added Cllr Charlton. "However, Welsh Government figures suggest that there is still room for improvement, with an estimated 36% of the residual domestic rubbish thrown out still made up of items which can be recycled in the weekly kerbside collections, over 21% or which includes food waste.

"Just imagine what a difference could be made to our recycling rates, and the environment, if we all added recycling to our New Year's resolution list!"

For more details of what can and can't be recycled through your weekly recycling collections and at our Household Waste Recycling Centres, please visit Bins, Rubbish and Recycling