Swansea has climbed to third place nationally for 2024/25, with residents recycling more than 76,000 tonnes of waste over the year — from food scraps and garden cuttings to glass, plastics and old electricals.
Households drive record recycling levels
The council says the rise is down to people using the city’s kerbside collections and recycling centres in huge numbers.
More than 14,000 tonnes of food waste were collected, along with just over 12,000 tonnes of paper. Garden waste accounted for nearly 12,000 tonnes, while glass made up 6,500 tonnes and metal 3,500 tonnes.
Plastic recycling also continued to grow, with around 5,000 tonnes put out through the pink‑bag collections.
Alongside kerbside services, the city’s five recycling centres handled thousands of tonnes of extra material — including 1,200 tonnes of waste electricals, almost 400 tonnes of textiles and five tonnes of batteries.
‘The days of black bags are long behind us’
Cllr Cyril Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said residents deserved credit for helping Swansea reach its latest milestone.
“Residents have really played their part, making the most of the wide range of kerbside recycling services we have developed,” he said.
“We have come a long way in terms of kerbside recycling services and the varied opportunities for households to dispose of lots of different waste. The days of putting everything in a black bag are long behind us for the majority of households.”
Reusable kit planned to cut single‑use bags
The council says its next step is to reduce the number of single‑use plastic bags used for recycling cans, paper and glass. Plans are being drawn up to roll out reusable containers similar to those already used for food waste and plastics — a move the authority says will also save money.
