Wales Recycling Rate Reaches 68.4% as Workplace Recycling Expands
Wales recorded a 68.4% municipal recycling rate in 2024 – 25, according to figures published by the Welsh Government on 29 January 2026. That marks an increase of nearly two percentage points year on year, keeping the country within touching distance of its 70% statutory target.
The headline number, however, only tells part of the story.
This is the first full reporting period since Wales introduced mandatory workplace waste separation rules in April 2024, and the impact on commercial waste streams is already measurable.
Workplace Recycling Regulations: Early Evidence of Behaviour Change
Under the updated regulations, businesses, public bodies and third-sector organisations in Wales must separately present key recyclable materials for collection.
In 2024 – 25:
- Local authorities collected 8,187 additional tonnes of recyclable material from workplaces
- That represents a 42% increase compared with 2023 – 24
- Residual waste from workplaces fell by 15.8%
The most significant growth was seen in:
- Food waste: +54.8%
- Paper and card: +40.5%
- Glass: +33.7%
- Metal: +19.2%
- Plastic: +14.0%
The Welsh Government has cautioned that councils handle less than a quarter of total workplace waste, so these figures do not represent the entire commercial sector. Even so, the direction of travel is clear: once separation becomes mandatory, volumes shift quickly.
Local Authority Performance Across Wales
Of the 22 Welsh local authorities:
- 20 improved their recycling rate
- 12 met or exceeded the 70% target
Performance ranged from 61.6% in Caerphilly to 73.5% in Pembrokeshire, the highest-performing authority.
Caerphilly has since announced plans for a new depot and processing facility at Dyffryn Business Park in Ystrad Mynach, a reminder that infrastructure investment remains a decisive factor in recycling performance.
Total municipal waste generation rose slightly to 1.42 million tonnes, continuing a gradual upward trend seen since 2022 – 23.
Landfill at 0.7% as Energy Recovery Accounts for 30%
Landfill use in Wales has now fallen to 0.7% of municipal waste, effectively marginal within the national system.
By contrast, incineration with energy recovery accounted for 30% of treated waste in 2024 – 25, reflecting the long-term shift away from landfill dependency.
Recycling continues to dominate treatment routes, but the balance between recovery and disposal remains under scrutiny as policymakers refine Wales’ circular economy strategy.
What This Signals for Welsh Businesses
The increase in workplace recycling is not symbolic – it is operational. Food waste volumes have jumped by more than half in a single year. Glass and paper collections are rising sharply. Residual streams are shrinking.
That tells us two things:
- Separation rules are being enforced in practice.
- Waste collection contracts that were once “good enough” may no longer be aligned with regulatory reality.
For businesses in Wales, compliance is no longer about intention, it is about presentation, documentation and collection structure.
At Affordable Waste Management, we work with businesses across Wales to put compliant, practical commercial waste collection in place, based on how sites actually operate, not just what looks right on paper.
If your waste setup hasn’t been reviewed since the 2024 reforms came into force, now is the time.
Get a quote for compliant commercial waste collection today.