A MOVE to limit the number of black bin bags and introduce separated recycling is being proposed by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, as part of a new strategy to increase recycling levels and cut costs.

If a report to the council’s cabinet on Monday is agreed, consultation could begin soon on how best to implement these changes.

The new measures are expected to come into effect from September.

Cllr Geoff Cox, cabinet member for neighbourhood services and transport, said: “The council must change the way in which we collect residents’ waste and recycling in order to bring our service into line with changes to the law, and more importantly make it economically and environmentally sustainable.

“The changes I propose have been determined following a thorough evaluation of all the potential options and are subject to the council receiving a substantial capital grant from Welsh Government to assist with infrastructure costs. How we go about implementing them, however, will be decided based on the views of residents.

“As a county we have been set a challenging target by Welsh Government of recycling 70 per cent of the Vale’s waste by 2025. We can only achieve this if more residents than ever are willing to play their role in recycling and we will soon be launching a public awareness campaign to inform residents of the changes and why we must all work together to make them a success.”

By separating recycling, the council hopes there will be much lower levels of contamination and in turn a higher sale price for recyclable waste when it is redistributed, which is currently done by a contractor in England.

Alongside the changes to collections, the council intends to build a new waste transfer station within the Vale where recycling can be stored before it is sold. There is also hope the council will be able to find its own markets closer to home, due to the material’s higher value.

The significant reduction in the costs of transporting recyclable material, along with the higher sale price, are predicted to result in savings to the council of around £400,000 each year.

As well as bringing the service into line with recent legislation, the move away from a comingled collection system would also qualify the council for significant financial support from Welsh Government.