Council announces changes to residual waste collections

The provision of grey bags for non-recyclable waste was introduced in 2019 to support major service changes that has seen Pembrokeshire named the best County in Wales for recycling for the last three years.

The provision of grey bags was continued through the Covid-19 period following its original introduction to support the service changes. However as part of budget saving measures agreed by Council earlier this year, no further deliveries of grey bags will be made to households by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Households will continue to be able to place out a maximum of three bags of non-recyclable waste every three weeks and there will be no changes to waste and recycling collections dates.

The move to end the provision of grey bags brings Pembrokeshire into line with the vast majority of Welsh Local Authorities, including neighbouring Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire Councils who also require households to provide black bags for non-recyclable waste collections.

Residents should continue to use up any existing grey bags as normal and then use household provided standard black bin bags (60litres) for non-recyclable waste moving forward.

More information and FAQs are available via the kerbside collections: non-recyclable residual waste collections page on the Council website.

Remaining stock of grey bags for non-recyclable waste will be available for collection by households from locations across Pembrokeshire from today (Wednesday, 20th September).

Grey bags – one roll per household – will be available from Waste and Recycling Centres (as part of a pre-booked WRC appointment), Leisure Centres, North Wing Reception at County Hall and Thornton. 

These collections are available while stocks last.

Containers to assist Recycling Collections continue to be provided free of charge and are available for collection from a number of locations across Pembrokeshire.

More information is available on the Waste and Recycling pages of the Council’s website.

Please note, there will be no other changes to waste and recycling at this time.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “Like all Councils across Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council is facing major pressures on our budget.

“In March the Council agreed a series of budget saving measures, including ceasing the provision of grey residual waste bags.

“Please use up any grey bags as normal and then use standard black bin bags.

“I thank the Pembrokeshire public for helping us to become the best county in Wales at recycling again and hope that we can continue to make Pembrokeshire a cleaner and greener place to live.”

The Council is currently supporting a Welsh Government campaign that highlights that 48% of items placed out as waste can actually be recycled either through kerbside collections or our Waste and Recycling Centre’s.

Of that, 17% is made up of food waste. The majority of this waste had been edible but not consumed such as gone off food, along with inedible waste such as egg-shells. When this happens residents are being asked to empty it into a food waste caddy and recycle the packaging where possible to help Pembrokeshire remain the top recycler in Wales.

Further information on food waste collections is also available on the Council’s website.