The volume of rubbish being recycled in Powys has soared during lockdown, new figures showed today.

Figures published by Every Can Counts – a European recycling initiative aimed at getting people to keep their empty containers out of landfill – show that the volume of recycling collected at the Welshpool depot rose by 20 per cent in the first four weeks of lockdown compared with the same period in 2019.

Every Can Counts programme manager Chris Latham-Warde said: “We are hugely encouraged by the data. We’d like to thank and congratulate the people of Powys and celebrate that so much more recycling is being collected at kerbside – it’s good news for the council and good news for the planet.

"Now, more than ever, we must try to live more sustainably.

“Every Can Counts also wants to thank the waste and recycling workers across the county who are working tirelessly with a depleted work force. These impressive figures are only possible because of their continued hard work. To them, we say a huge thank you.”

James Thompson, waste awareness and enforcement manager at Powys County Council, added: “It’s incredible to know that people are recycling so much – the crews are telling us it’s like Christmas every day out there.

"It’s a credit to the crews and of course to all the residents in Powys who are recycling even more than usual.”

Mr Latham-Warde added: “Recycling – and especially recycling drink cans given that aluminium is infinitely recyclable – is something we can all do to help the planet.

"Over the past five years, the UK recycling rate for drink cans has increased by 16 per cent to an impressive 76 per cent.

"Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, we’re optimistic that this positive trend will continue.”