A recent report reveals that many in Merthyr Tydfil aren’t recycling food waste, risking hefty fines and environmental impact.
Merthyr Tydfil: It turns out that less than half of the folks in Merthyr Tydfil are recycling their food waste. A recent report showed that only 48% of residents are doing their part, which is lower than the 56% average across Wales.
Back in 2022, a study of what people were tossing in their wheelie bins found that a whopping 30% was food waste that could’ve been recycled. The council’s performance report for 2023/2024, which was discussed in a meeting on January 8, revealed that while the overall recycling rate met the national target of 64%, the percentage of waste being reused or recycled actually dropped each quarter.
One reason for this decline is that Merthyr households are generating more food waste and recycling less compared to the Welsh average. The data showed that each person produced about 185kg of waste this year, which is the same as last year but still needs to be reduced to hit future targets.
Councillor Clive Jones pointed out that nearly 14,000 homes are still tossing their food waste in the regular bins. He mentioned that there have been efforts to educate people, but it’s frustrating that in 2025, some are still not using the provided bins and bags for food waste. He emphasized the need to tackle this issue to boost recycling rates in Merthyr Tydfil.
