N e w y d d i o n M C RN e w y d d i o n M C R

This is the final newsletter from Monmouthshire Community Recycling, the BlackBox people. Sadly we will no longer be running the kerbside recycling service for

Monmouthshire as of 28th November 2009. In this issue we report back on what weachieved working with residents and businesses in the words of those directly involved.

I have witnessed recycling grow and grow inMonmouthshire since I have worked for MCR and wouldlike to say a BIG BIG thank you to everyone who hasmade my job feel so rewarding over the years

(P J, MCR Driver)

VIEW FROM THE CREW...

www.monrecycling.co.uk • 01291 430550 Issue 5 • Winter 2009

a BIG BIG thankyou to everyonewho has mademy job feel so

rewarding

The service hasmade a

difference to howI feel about my

waste

The service is second to none, it all works very smoothlyand it has made a difference to how I feel about my waste.Since we’ve had cardboard and plastics recycling it seems tohave brought everyone on the street on board, and we getfavourable comments from visitors about it. I value theservice we get – it does more than just shifting rubbish.

(John Harrison, resident of the Danes, Chepstow)

VIEW FROM THE CUSTOMER...

It helps reducethe rubbish and

pollution in our area

We recycle in our school so that we can use thingsagain and it helps reduce the rubbish and pollutionin our area

(Katie Wall & James Dawson, Year 6, ThornwellPrimary School, Chepstow)

VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM...

We are all proud to have been part of such a successful community project, making a real impact on our wasteand CO2 emissions. This is Monmouthshire’s first significant community response to climate change.

(Monmouthshire Community Recycling board of trustees)

VIEW FROM THE BOARD...

Wales’ Road to Zero Waste...

Thanks!

Monmouthshire’s Road to Zero Waste

MCR worked in partnership withMonmouthshire County Council,Abergavenny Communities First, St ArvansCommunity Council and others. Theproject offered collections of nearlyeverything that could be recycled orcomposted, showed residents how theycould play their part and asked them fortheir suggestions. The recipe was highlysuccessful with more people recycling,

more recycling collected and a lot lessgoing to landfill. In North Abergavenny theparticipation rate nearly doubled from 36%to 69% in a matter of weeks. In St Arvans aphenomenal 95% of residents got involved,which led to a recycling rate of 77%.

Along with the service changes there werehome composting promotions, communityevents and two major projects to tacklelitter and to reduce carrier bag use. With StArvans’ performance making it a leader inWales and the UK, the project won anational award and attracted a lot ofinterest, most recently featuring on BBCRadio Five Live in October this year. Theproject was funded by Environment Wales,

From 28th November Monmouthshire’s kerbsiderecycling service will be operated by the councildirectly, but with all 22 of MCR’s staff transferring.Monmouthshire County Council will be contactingresidents to explain any changes they will then bemaking. We would like to thank everyone who hascontributed to the success of the recycling service overthe six years it has run, and hope that we have helpedMonmouthshire residents realise what is possible.

David Roman, Executive Director

The Welsh Assembly Government has recently releasedits draft waste strategy ‘Towards Zero Waste’, which

sets out targets for reducing and recycling waste over thenext 40 years. The strategy is based on Wales living withinits means – consuming less energy and resources over timeso that it reduces its ecological footprint to a sustainablelevel.

Targets include recycling 70% of what households throwout, and reducing what goes to landfill to only 150kg perperson per year by 2024. A great deal of research byindustry experts WRAP went into identifying the best waysof doing this – the recommendation is to sort materials asthey are collected to keep quality up and costs down.

supported by the Welsh AssemblyGovernment, and has shown how far andhow quickly a community can progresstowards zero waste.

The kerbside recycling system was rolledout to the Wye Valley, Caerwent and partsof Caldicot and Chepstow, with two boxesgiven to households - one for paper andcard, the other for glass, cans and plastics.This achieved 88% participation andweights of over 5kg per household perweek (phpw). No local authority in Walesrecycles more than 4kg phpw fromkerbside collection, so once againMonmouthshire came out tops where itwas offered a full materials service.

Two communities in Monmouthshire– the village of St Arvans nearChepstow, and five streets in NorthAbergavenny – have been taking partin a zero waste challenge for the pasttwo years.

Zero Waste Castle – at Abergavenny Food Festival MCR ran azero waste challenge which catered for 34,000 visitors andachieved a recycling rate of 81% in the busy castle area.

MONMOUTHSHIRE COMMUNITY RECYCLINGUnit 18, Severn Bridge Industrial Estate. Symondscliffe Way, CALDICOT NP26 5PW

Printed on recycled paper and with vegetable inks

Newsflash...On 27th October 2009 we passeda big milestone – 20,000 tonnes ofmaterials collected and recycled.This represents over 18,000 tonnesof carbon dioxide emissionsavoided, compared with landfill.