Council chiefs in Carmarthenshire have approved plans to increase kerbside recycling and reduce the collection of black bin bags from every three weeks to every four.

The changes will also result in a centralised waste depot at Nantycaws, near Carmarthen – including a new “modular” building – a potential four-day working week for waste collection staff, and the procurement of nine new electric refuse lorries adding to the three already in use.

For residents it’ll mean more separation and sorting of recyclable waste. There’ll be separate weekly collections of glass, paper, cardboard, cans, plastic, food waste, textiles and batteries. Residents would put cans and plastic together in containers; paper and cardboard in separate containers; food waste in existing caddies; glass in existing black boxes; and textiles and batteries in separate containers. But the changes won’t come into force until June 2026.

Cabinet members approved the proposals at a meeting on July 29 and thanked residents for their help in driving up recycling rates, which now stand at just over 70%.

The Welsh Government wants more even more recycling and composting, and the council said Carmarthenshire’s current household waste collection system wouldn’t achieve this, partly because a sizeable amount of items that could be recycled were put into black bags.

Cllr Edward Thomas, cabinet member for transport, waste and infrastructure services, said: “We need to address contamination issues.” He added that the four-weekly black bag recommendation would go out to consultation.

Council leader Darren Price said the changes were something “we simply have to get to grips with”. He stressed the financial consequences of not doing so – fines of around £164,000 for every per cent that the council fell short of Welsh Government recycling targets.

“Quite frankly this council cannot afford to be fined £164,000, particularly at a time of budget cuts,” said Cllr Price. “As leader I would not be prepared to take £164,000 from schools, social services or highways simply in terms of our inability to meet recycling targets,” he added.

CllrAled Vaughan Owen, who has the climate change and decarbonisation and portfolio strategy, said having a centralised depot would offer decarbonisation opportunities.

It is expected that the Welsh Government will provide £15.5 million for the changes, with the council contributing a further £9.9 million. Talks have and will continue to take place with trade unions about the proposed four-day working week and switch to a centralised depot. Staff who have to drive further to get to the Nantycaws depot than they do currently to other depots in the county could get travel expenses paid for a year.