Swansea named Wales’ top‑performing city for recycling as households hit 72% rate

Swansea has climbed to third place nationally for 2024/25, with residents recycling more than 76,000 tonnes of waste over the year — from food scraps and garden cuttings to glass, plastics and old electricals.

Households drive record recycling levels

The council says the rise is down to people using the city’s kerbside collections and recycling centres in huge numbers.

More than 14,000 tonnes of food waste were collected, along with just over 12,000 tonnes of paper. Garden waste accounted for nearly 12,000 tonnes, while glass made up 6,500 tonnes and metal 3,500 tonnes.

Plastic recycling also continued to grow, with around 5,000 tonnes put out through the pink‑bag collections.

Alongside kerbside services, the city’s five recycling centres handled thousands of tonnes of extra material — including 1,200 tonnes of waste electricals, almost 400 tonnes of textiles and five tonnes of batteries.

‘The days of black bags are long behind us’

Cllr Cyril Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said residents deserved credit for helping Swansea reach its latest milestone.

“Residents have really played their part, making the most of the wide range of kerbside recycling services we have developed,” he said.

“We have come a long way in terms of kerbside recycling services and the varied opportunities for households to dispose of lots of different waste. The days of putting everything in a black bag are long behind us for the majority of households.”

Reusable kit planned to cut single‑use bags

The council says its next step is to reduce the number of single‑use plastic bags used for recycling cans, paper and glass. Plans are being drawn up to roll out reusable containers similar to those already used for food waste and plastics — a move the authority says will also save money.

Recycling

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Updates on kerbside collections, waste changes and how Swansea is improving its recycling rates.

Festive bin collection changes across South West Wales – check your dates

Every Christmas the same question crops up in households across South West Wales: when is bin day?

With bank holidays, extra rubbish and recycling, and crews working to revised schedules, it’s easy to get caught out. Councils say they’ve made changes to keep services running smoothly — here’s what you need to know.

Carmarthenshire – early and revised dates

Carmarthenshire County Council says it has moved several collections forward to keep services on track. Residents are urged to put bins out by 6am and remember the three black bag limit.

• Collections due on Monday 22 December will take place a day earlier on Sunday 21 December.
• Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) collections move to Wednesday 24 December.
• Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) collections move to Sunday 28 December.
• New Year’s Day collections will take place on Friday 2 January, with Friday rounds pushed to Saturday 3 January.

The council says hygiene and nappy waste will follow the same revised schedule. Recycling centres will close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and shut at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Cabinet Member Cllr Edward Thomas said: “Christmas is a time for celebration, and we want to make sure waste collections run smoothly so everyone can enjoy the holidays without worry.”

Swansea – later collections and recycling tips

Swansea Council says collections run as normal until Christmas Eve, but from Christmas Day onwards all rounds will be later than usual.

• Thursday rounds move to Sunday 28 December and Saturday 3 January.
• Friday rounds move to Monday 29 December and Sunday 4 January.
• Normal service resumes on Monday 5 January 2026.

The council is reminding residents to recycle wrapping paper that passes the “scrunch test” and to remove ribbons, bows and glitter. Food waste including turkey carcasses can go in the food caddy. The three black bag limit remains in place, with excess bags accepted at Llansamlet and Clyne recycling centres.

Swansea Council says real Christmas trees can be taken to recycling centres or booked for bulky waste collection. Centres will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and all day on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Neath Port Talbot – minimal disruption

Neath Port Talbot Council says most collections remain unchanged.

• Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) rounds move to Saturday 27 December.
• Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) rounds move to Sunday 28 December.
• New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January) rounds move to Friday 2 January, with Friday rounds on Saturday 3 January.

Pembrokeshire – extra bag allowance and tree collections

Pembrokeshire County Council says it will allow one extra residual waste bag on the first collection after Christmas to help households cope with festive excess.

Kerbside sort containers remain in use:

• Blue sack for cardboard and cards without glitter.
• Blue box for paper and recyclable wrapping paper.
• Red sack for plastics, cartons and tins.
• Green caddy for food waste including turkey bones.
• Green box for glass bottles and jars.

The council says collections will not take place on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day. Missed rounds will be picked up two days later.

Residents can book a real Christmas tree collection for £5.60 via My Account or the council’s contact centre, with collections scheduled between 5–16 January 2026. Trees can also be taken to recycling centres free of charge.

Pembrokeshire County Council says Waste and Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with some sites offering additional opening dates around the holidays.

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Festive bin collection changes across South West Wales – check your dates

Every Christmas the same question crops up in households across South West Wales: when is bin day?

With bank holidays, extra rubbish and recycling, and crews working to revised schedules, it’s easy to get caught out. Councils say they’ve made changes to keep services running smoothly — here’s what you need to know.

Carmarthenshire – early and revised dates

Carmarthenshire County Council says it has moved several collections forward to keep services on track. Residents are urged to put bins out by 6am and remember the three black bag limit.

• Collections due on Monday 22 December will take place a day earlier on Sunday 21 December.
• Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) collections move to Wednesday 24 December.
• Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) collections move to Sunday 28 December.
• New Year’s Day collections will take place on Friday 2 January, with Friday rounds pushed to Saturday 3 January.

The council says hygiene and nappy waste will follow the same revised schedule. Recycling centres will close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and shut at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Cabinet Member Cllr Edward Thomas said: “Christmas is a time for celebration, and we want to make sure waste collections run smoothly so everyone can enjoy the holidays without worry.”

Swansea – later collections and recycling tips

Swansea Council says collections run as normal until Christmas Eve, but from Christmas Day onwards all rounds will be later than usual.

• Thursday rounds move to Sunday 28 December and Saturday 3 January.
• Friday rounds move to Monday 29 December and Sunday 4 January.
• Normal service resumes on Monday 5 January 2026.

The council is reminding residents to recycle wrapping paper that passes the “scrunch test” and to remove ribbons, bows and glitter. Food waste including turkey carcasses can go in the food caddy. The three black bag limit remains in place, with excess bags accepted at Llansamlet and Clyne recycling centres.

Swansea Council says real Christmas trees can be taken to recycling centres or booked for bulky waste collection. Centres will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and all day on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Neath Port Talbot – minimal disruption

Neath Port Talbot Council says most collections remain unchanged.

• Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) rounds move to Saturday 27 December.
• Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) rounds move to Sunday 28 December.
• New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January) rounds move to Friday 2 January, with Friday rounds on Saturday 3 January.

Pembrokeshire – extra bag allowance and tree collections

Pembrokeshire County Council says it will allow one extra residual waste bag on the first collection after Christmas to help households cope with festive excess.

Kerbside sort containers remain in use:

• Blue sack for cardboard and cards without glitter.
• Blue box for paper and recyclable wrapping paper.
• Red sack for plastics, cartons and tins.
• Green caddy for food waste including turkey bones.
• Green box for glass bottles and jars.

The council says collections will not take place on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day. Missed rounds will be picked up two days later.

Residents can book a real Christmas tree collection for £5.60 via My Account or the council’s contact centre, with collections scheduled between 5–16 January 2026. Trees can also be taken to recycling centres free of charge.

Pembrokeshire County Council says Waste and Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with some sites offering additional opening dates around the holidays.

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Festive bin collection changes across South West Wales – check your dates

Every Christmas the same question crops up in households across South West Wales: when is bin day?

With bank holidays, extra rubbish and recycling, and crews working to revised schedules, it’s easy to get caught out. Councils say they’ve made changes to keep services running smoothly — here’s what you need to know.

Carmarthenshire – early and revised dates

Carmarthenshire County Council says it has moved several collections forward to keep services on track. Residents are urged to put bins out by 6am and remember the three black bag limit.

• Collections due on Monday 22 December will take place a day earlier on Sunday 21 December.
• Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) collections move to Wednesday 24 December.
• Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) collections move to Sunday 28 December.
• New Year’s Day collections will take place on Friday 2 January, with Friday rounds pushed to Saturday 3 January.

The council says hygiene and nappy waste will follow the same revised schedule. Recycling centres will close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and shut at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Cabinet Member Cllr Edward Thomas said: “Christmas is a time for celebration, and we want to make sure waste collections run smoothly so everyone can enjoy the holidays without worry.”

Swansea – later collections and recycling tips

Swansea Council says collections run as normal until Christmas Eve, but from Christmas Day onwards all rounds will be later than usual.

• Thursday rounds move to Sunday 28 December and Saturday 3 January.
• Friday rounds move to Monday 29 December and Sunday 4 January.
• Normal service resumes on Monday 5 January 2026.

The council is reminding residents to recycle wrapping paper that passes the “scrunch test” and to remove ribbons, bows and glitter. Food waste including turkey carcasses can go in the food caddy. The three black bag limit remains in place, with excess bags accepted at Llansamlet and Clyne recycling centres.

Swansea Council says real Christmas trees can be taken to recycling centres or booked for bulky waste collection. Centres will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and all day on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Neath Port Talbot – minimal disruption

Neath Port Talbot Council says most collections remain unchanged.

• Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) rounds move to Saturday 27 December.
• Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) rounds move to Sunday 28 December.
• New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January) rounds move to Friday 2 January, with Friday rounds on Saturday 3 January.

Pembrokeshire – extra bag allowance and tree collections

Pembrokeshire County Council says it will allow one extra residual waste bag on the first collection after Christmas to help households cope with festive excess.

Kerbside sort containers remain in use:

• Blue sack for cardboard and cards without glitter.
• Blue box for paper and recyclable wrapping paper.
• Red sack for plastics, cartons and tins.
• Green caddy for food waste including turkey bones.
• Green box for glass bottles and jars.

The council says collections will not take place on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day. Missed rounds will be picked up two days later.

Residents can book a real Christmas tree collection for £5.60 via My Account or the council’s contact centre, with collections scheduled between 5–16 January 2026. Trees can also be taken to recycling centres free of charge.

Pembrokeshire County Council says Waste and Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with some sites offering additional opening dates around the holidays.

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#binDay #CarmarthenshireCouncil #Christmas #christmasBinCollection #christmasRecycling #christmasTreeRecycling #kerbsideCollection #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #PembrokeshireCouncil #Recycling #SwanseaCouncil

Neath Port Talbot residents to see changes to recycling collections as council simplifies system

Cardboard and paper now collected together

From this week, residents across Neath Port Talbot no longer need to separate paper into a black box. Instead, both cardboard and paper can be placed together in the white recycling bags provided by the council.

The council is reminding households that all materials must fit inside the bags, which should be sealed before collection to prevent items blowing away. Extra bags can be ordered online at http://www.npt.gov.uk/recycle or by calling 01639 686868.

Black boxes repurposed for glass

The familiar black paper boxes will now be used for glass recycling only. Residents are asked not to mix materials, and those who no longer need their boxes can take them to a local recycling centre, where they will be recycled as hard plastics.

Slots for recycling centre visits can also be booked online or by phone.

Council celebrates record recycling rate

The changes come as Neath Port Talbot achieved its highest ever recycling rate of 71.4% in 2024/25, surpassing the Welsh Government’s 70% target.

Cllr Scott Jones, Cabinet Member for Streetscene, said:

“With the help of our residents we reached a recycling rate of 71.4% — the county borough’s highest to date. This change simplifies the process, allowing items to be mixed and presented together for collection. By continuing to work together, we can further improve recycling rates, protect natural resources and ensure Wales remains one of the world’s top recycling nations.”

New online account for residents

The council is also encouraging households to sign up for myNPT, a new online resident account. The service allows users to:

• Receive email reminders the evening before bin collection day
• Get notified about service disruptions such as severe weather or roadworks
• Order recycling equipment and track requests online

More information is available at www.npt.gov.uk/mynpt.

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#binCollection #binDay #blackRecyclingBox #cardboardRecycling #CllrScottJones #featured #glassRecycling #kerbsideCollection #NeathPortTalbot #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #paperRecycling #Recycling #recyclingCollection #whiteRecyclingBags

Swansea residents embrace new soft plastics recycling trial with over five tonnes already collected

Run by Swansea Council, the scheme allows around 20,000 households to recycle plastic bags and wrapping directly from home, including items such as crisp packets, bread bags and frozen food packaging. Until now, recycling these materials was only possible by taking them to designated supermarket drop-off points.

The trial is operating in 15 communities where household waste is collected on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and will continue until December 2025.

“So far, it’s estimated that more than five tonnes of plastic bags and wrapping have been collected from homes within the trial areas,” the Council confirmed in a recent update.

Cllr Cyril Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community, said: “Swansea is currently performing very well in terms of recycling, with the majority of residents making use of all the kerbside recycling collection services provided by the Council. We know there’s an appetite for residents to recycle more of their household waste, particularly soft plastic items like carrier bags, which currently get put in black bags.

“The trial will allow the Council to understand how plastic bags and wrapping can be included in existing kerbside recycling collections for all households in the future.”

Residents participating in the trial are encouraged to use blue recycling bags designated for soft plastics.

#CllrCyrilAnderson #kerbsideCollection #Recycling #softPlastic #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

Bridgend County Borough Council ranked as most cost-effective for waste services in Wales

Operating a fleet delivering approximately 80 tonnes of recycling per day across the county borough, the local authority reduced its household waste total net service cost by 7.4% in 2023-24, resulting in an average net service cost of £2.58 per household per week.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, Councillor Paul Davies said: “To be ranked consistently as the most cost-efficient waste service, while simultaneously achieving the highest recycling rates in Wales, at 73%, is testament to the council’s ongoing commitment to providing residents with a low-cost, high-quality recycling and waste service.

“With strategic investments in new vehicles, fleet maintenance and working practices we can continue to lead the way and ensure future success with an effective and sustainable service.”

#BridgendCountyBoroughCouncil #kerbsideCollection #Recycling #wasteCollection

Council says it’s taking ‘positive action’ to improve waste and recycling collections

Swansea Council says its recruiting more waste staff and ensuring back-up staff are available to plug any gaps in the teams. This includes having more agency staff available and other resources to bolster the workforce.

The move follows complaints from residents about missed and delayed household waste and recycling kerbside collections.

The council says the extra staff will be in place within the next few weeks. In the meantime, if there are any missed collections residents are being asked to leave their waste on the kerbside as the council will return the next working day or as soon as possible after.

Cllr Cyril Anderson, the council’s Cabinet Member for Community, said, “There have been some operational problems with our waste collections recently and we understand the problems this causes for residents.

“I want to apologise to everybody who has been affected by missed waste collections and to reassure our residents that we are determined to improve the service as quickly as possible.

“We are recruiting significant numbers of new staff into our waste team and intend to supplement them with even further resources in the coming weeks and months to ensure collections can be completed on the stated day.

“It may take a few weeks to introduce the extra resources, so if your bin collection is missed, please leave them on the kerbside and we’ll do everything we can to collect them the next working day or as soon as possible.

“We will continue to update residents, and we are grateful for their patience and understanding during the next few weeks.”

#blackBags #CllrCyrilAnderson #kerbsideCollection #Recycling #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

Council to trial soft plastic kerbside recycling scheme in Swansea

Currently, if residents want to recycle soft plastic items, their only option is to take them to their local supermarket, where recycling facilities are generally provided.

The council say the trial in Swansea will take place across 15 communities that have their household waste collected on a Tuesday and a Wednesday and includes around 20,000 homes. The trial will take place between April and December. 

In Swansea, the council say that residents already recycle around 70% of their household waste. Surveys have also shown that a large proportion of black bag waste is made up of soft plastic items.

During the next few weeks, residents in trial areas will be provided with a supply of blue recycling sacks, along with an information leaflet explaining all about the trial.

Cyril Anderson, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Community, said: “Swansea is currently performing very well in terms of recycling, with the majority of residents making use of all the kerbside recycling services, as well as putting out limited numbers of black bags.

“We know there’s an appetite for residents to recycle more of their household waste, particularly soft plastic items like carrier bags – which currently get put in black bag waste.

“The trial will allow the council to understand how plastic bags and wrapping can be included in existing kerbside recycling collections in the future.

“Households included in trial areas will get a delivery of blue coloured bags and information about the scheme.

“We have organised the trial so that all different types of accommodation are included, such as terraced streets and housing developments. This will give us a better understanding of the issues which arise from the trial in terms of collections.

“Ideally, our aim is for households to have the opportunity to reduce their black bag waste even further and boost our overall recycling rate.”

#kerbsideCollection #Recycling #softPlastic #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil