As National Recycle Week is here again, plans are being laid for a cleaner, greener Neath Port Talbot involving changes in the way waste is collected, disposed of and recycled.

The council has been given tough recycling targets by the Welsh Government requiring us all to recycle 64 per cent of waste by 2019/20 and 70 per cent by 2025.

Neath Port Talbot already has an excellent recycling rate of just over 60 per cent - helping make Wales the the fourth highest recycling country in the world (according to the latest figures from Eunomia Research and Consulting).

But more has to be done to keep waste away from landfill sites where it can leak out, damaging the environment.

Food waste in particular needs to be tackled – not only does it add to the pollutant leachate in landfill sites (which can lead to river and stream pollution killing fish and other wildlife) it also damages the planet by degrading into the greenhouse gas methane.

Changes in the run up to April 1st 2019 - when the 64 per cent target begins - include introducing more recycling litter bins in town centres and other high footfall areas like parks in the coming months

Catrin Palfrey, campaign manager for Recycle for Wales which is holding a number of promotional events this week as part of National Recycle Week, said: “Increasingly people in Wales are recycling all they can from all around the home and our world ranking reflects this.

“Here in Neath Port Talbot it’s no different – more and more of us are recycling, so thank you for doing all you can and keep up the good work! Together we can help get Wales to number one in the world.”

Cllr Ted Latham, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetsceneand Engineering added: “There are a lot of changes planned to ensure we in Neath Port Talbot do our bit to keep Wales among the world leaders in recycling, and in so doing help to stop pollution and create a cleaner planet.

“For instance, please make sure there no recyclable materials in your black bags before disposing of them in skips in our recycling centres.

“You need to remove recyclable materials like glass, paper, cardboard, tins and plastic from your bags before bringing them to the site where operatives will give help if needed).

“And we’d like to cut down as much as possible on food waste which in turn could help household budgets. Strategies including trying not to over-buy, keeping track of what you've bought and used and planning ahead by thinking about what you're going to cook and how you could use the leftovers.”