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Guernsey 'one of the highest' recycling rates in the world

BBC Guernsey Waste vehicleBBC
In 2019, 73% of household waste was recycled or composted

Guernsey has recorded "one of the highest" recycling rates in the world for 2019, due to a new waste strategy.

In total, 73% of household waste was recycled or composted last year - an increase from 50% in 2017, the last full year before changes were put in.

This means Guernsey has exceeded its target of 70% recycling by 2030 in the first year of the strategy.

The rise is down to measures like food waste recycling, introduced in 2018, and fortnightly general waste rounds.

States Trading Assets deputy managing director Richard Evans said the response to the changes have been "amazing".

"We now have one of the highest recycling rates anywhere in the world - if not the highest."

In 2019, the total amount of household waste recycled and composted in Guernsey was 16,639 tonnages, an increase since 2017 when it was 12,912 tonnes.

Rubbich bags
Mr Evans praised Guernsey Waste, the parishes and the waste contractors

According to recent figures, it would put the island ahead of Germany, which recycles about 67% of household waste.

New measures include glass and food waste collections and fortnightly pick-ups of general waste.

Separate food waste collections in 2018 were seen as making the biggest contribution to the increase in recycling rates.

A further reduction in rubbish was also seen after a pay-as-you-throw rubbish scheme was introduced in February 2019.

Guernsey Waste recorded an operating deficit before depreciation of £1.4m in 2019, the first full year since the introduction of the island's new waste strategy.