Major Grant Secured For Island-Wide Trolley Box Rollout

New recycling trolley boxes will be rolled out to thousands of more homes across the Island this summer after the County Council secured major funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, today (Tuesday, March 14th) announced the approval of a £350,000 grant, which will further boost the Island’s recycling efforts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Match funding provided by the County Council will ensure that around 20,000 extra recycling trolley boxes can be bought and distributed during May and July. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The County Council’s Highways, Waste and Property portfolio holder, Councillor John Arwel Roberts, welcomed news of the grant funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Roberts said, “This is fantastic news and I’d like to thank the Welsh Government and Cabinet Secretary, Lesley Griffiths, for supporting our recycling efforts here on Anglesey.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our own initial trolley box trial, launched in October 2016 as part of a new recycling service, has already proved its worth in a very short space of time. Trolley boxes are helping and encouraging Anglesey residents to recycle more than they did previously.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve already seen a significant increase in recycling levels in the trial areas as well as a drop in residual, or black bin, waste. We now expect these improvements to be replicated across the Island once the trolley boxes are all in place.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The County Council needed additional funding to provide trolley boxes for every Anglesey household, and hoped that the success of its trial would put it in a stronger position to bid for external grants. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said, “I’m pleased we are providing up to £3million to support Local Authorities for improvements which will help to boost recycling rates even further and support us in our ambition to become the highest recycling nation in world.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Data collected following the launch of Anglesey’s new recycling service in October shows that trolley boxes are helping to boost recycling in the areas where they are used. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anglesey’s Head of Highways, Waste and Property, Dewi Williams, thanked residents for their continued commitment to recycling. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added, “The majority of homes were provided with an extra orange recycling box as part of the new service launched in October. Whilst the extra box has significantly helped to boost recycling levels, our early research has shown that households trialling the trolley boxes are finding them easier to use and much more convenient than the separate boxes.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m pleased that the trolley box trial is proving a success, and that the Welsh Government has, through this grant funding, shown its faith in our work and Anglesey residents’ commitment to recycling.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our residents currently recycle 59.5% of their waste and we must reach 64% by 2019 to meet Welsh Government targets. We believe that the introduction of more trolley boxes across Anglesey can help us achieve this.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Feedback so far suggests residents find the trolley box unit more convenient to use than separate recycling boxes and their introducing has helped boost recycling levels in areas that have traditionally been poor. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​