Background
Isle of Anglesey County Council has set out a clear commitment to protect the environment and reduce our carbon footprint in our Council Plan 2023 to 2028.
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activities. It shows how much a person, product, or organisation contributes to climate change.
Recycling plays a vital role in reducing our carbon footprint. We can help to create a cleaner, greener island for our ourselves and future generations. We can do this by reducing the amount of waste that goes to disposal.
Recycling targets from Welsh Government
All councils in Wales must meet the Welsh Government recycling target of 70%. Councils can be fined if they do not meet this target.
Isle of Anglesey County Council's 'Resources and Waste Strategic Plan 2024 to 2029' includes a commitment to increase recycling rates and meet the 70% target.
Currently, 65% of Anglesey's waste is recycled. Isle of Anglesey County Council could be fined around £350,000 every year, based on this recycling rate. This is money that could be spent on essential services.
Where we are now
Current data and research shows that about 52% of the waste put into black bins on Anglesey could be recycled.
Food waste recycling is relatively low compared to other councils. We also know that some households find it difficult to store lots of cardboard.
Evidence from other councils in Wales shows that we can recycle more by giving households better options to recycle, while reducing the amount of space available for general waste that goes into our black bins.
To recycle as much as we can, Welsh Government's 'Collection Blueprint' recommends that households should have one standard full black bag (60 litres) or less a week.
Most Anglesey households currently have a 240 litre black bin that is collected once every 3 weeks.
How we want to change recycling and waste collection
We want to make recycling easier and more convenient for residents. By doing this, we will meet the national recycling targets and avoid big fines.
We are thinking of:
- changing the trolley box set up so that we can collect paper and cardboard together
- giving households additional containers to store extra recycling
- reducing how much weekly waste we collect by emptying black bins every 4 weeks instead of every 3 weeks
The earliest any change to the collection service could start would be 2029. This is because we would need to make changes to our recycling and waste sites and buy new vehicles.
We want your views
We understand that different households have different needs and that you may have concerns about any changes.
This consultation is your opportunity to share your views. We want to fully understand how you feel about what we want to do, before any decisions are made.
Your feedback will help us to:
- shape a service that meets the needs of residents on Anglesey
- support our commitment to protect the environment and reduce our carbon footprint
- reach the 70% recycling target set by Welsh Government
Questionnaire
Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your feedback is very important to us.
The questionnaire will close at 11.59pm on 17 February 2026.
Go to the online questionnaire
Drop-in sessions
The public consultation will also include several drop-in sessions at the island’s libraries for members of the public.
Drop-in sessions for recycling and waste consultation
| Library | Date | Time |
|---|
| Amlwch |
13 January 2026 |
10am until 12pm |
| Beaumaris |
16 January 2026 |
10am until 12pm |
| Benllech |
20 January 2026 |
1pm until 3pm |
| Holyhead |
21 January 2026 |
11am until 1pm |
| Llangefni |
26 January 2026 |
2pm until 4pm |
| Menai Bridge |
5 February 2026 |
1pm until 3pm |
| Rhosneigr |
5 February 2026 |
10am until 12pm |