The funding will help get Prosiect Gwyrdd started. The Project is a joint initiative between five South Wales councils which will look at the best way to dispose of municipal waste that can’t be recycled or composted. The extra funding for Prosiect Gwyrdd will be up to £7.8m in a full year of operation depending on the final costs of the project.

So far over 9,600 residents across Rhondda Cynon Taf have been invited to take up the new scheme that aims to rapidly reduce the amount of household waste sent to landfill. At present all households that use the Council’s weekly kerbside recycling scheme are being approached to use the Food Recycling Initiative as well.

Members of the Council’s Streetcare Team are visiting homes and encouraging them to support this easy and clean method of recycling food waste. They have already spoken to residents in Tonyrefail, Penrhiwfer and Gilfach Goch with Coedely next on their list of communities to visit.

At present 55% of households in Rhondda Cynon Taf recycle, but thousands are still not getting involved even though there are so many schemes on offer, from the kerbside weekly collection service, easy-to-access community recycling centres, free collection of larger items and now the food waste recycling scheme.

Members of the Council’s Streetcare Team are visiting homes and encouraging them to support this easy and clean method of recycling food waste. They have already spoken to residents in Tonyrefail, with Penrhiwfer with Gilfach Goch next on their list of communities to visit.

At present 55% of households in Rhondda Cynon Taf recycle, but thousands are still not getting involved even though there are so many schemes on offer, from the kerbside weekly collection service, easy-to-access community recycling centres, free collection of larger items and now the food waste recycling scheme.

Every week residents recycle around 35% of waste, which is four times the amount recycled a few years ago, but this needs to reach 40% by 2010 or the Council will face stringent fines of up to £200 per tonne by the Welsh Assembly Government. Food waste forms 30% of the average Rhondda Cynon Taf refuse bin contents.

For more information on recycling, send an email to recycling@rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk or call 01443 494700.

Grandmother Janet Jones from Graigwen is a keen recycler of household waste and news that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s innovative new food waste collection service was coming to her community really brightened her day.

Janet, who is the Vice President of Pontypridd’s Women’s Institute, has made it one of life’s ambitions to encourage more people to recycle their household rubbish and she thinks the food waste recycling service is a major step forward in reducing the quantity of rubbish sent to landfill.

In December she will lead a Plastic Bag Free Day in Pontypridd town centre where she will encourage all shop owners to refuse their customers from using carrier bags for their shopping.

“This is a very important subject and I can’t understand why even more residents of Rhondda Cynon Taf are not recycling their rubbish – it’s such a simple and effective thing to do,” she explained.

“The food waste caddies are excellent. The lid closes tightly so there’s no chance of any nasty smells and you an just put it out with the rest of your weekly kerbside recycling bags.”

Residents of all ages in Rhondda Cynon Taf are continuing the war against waste but the need is greater than ever to reduce the amount sent to landfill or local authorities will face massive monetary fines from the government.