It has been announced by the Welsh Government that provisional figures for waste and composting hit 63 per cent in 2016.
Representing a four per cent increase from the same period the previous year, 19 out of 22 Local Authorities in Wales increased their recycling rate by at least one per cent.
The best local authority was found to be Ceredugion with a recycling rate of 70 per cent.
Thought to be “an example of good practice” for the rest of the UK, the country is now recycling double the amount than it did 10 years ago.
The total amount of municipal waste generated was found to have decreased, with tonnage falling from 369,000 tonnes in 2015 to 363,000 tonnes in 2016.
Residual household waste generated per person was also down by four per cent from a year before.
Although there are still challenges ahead, Lesly Griffiths, cabinet secretary for the environment, said:
Today’s statistics are encouraging evidence we are meeting the ambition set in our Programme for Government to further our lead over other nations in recycling and minimise landfill.
“The latest report shows we are still exceeding our statutory 58% recycling target and remain well on track to meet our 70% target by 2025.
“This achievement has not been easy, but we have made some significant changes and I would like to thank householders and Local Authorities for embracing these and making a real commitment to recycling.”
Figures for England and Scotland are remarkably different from that of Wales, with recycling averages of around 44 and 42 per cent in 2015 respectively.
In December 2016 it was announced by Defra that recycling rates in England had fallen for the first time, falling from 44.3 per cent in 2015 to 44.76 per cent in 2014.
