Monmouthshire is on course to become Wales’ leading county when it comes to recycling according to internal projections from the authority.

The latest data for the year 2024-25 shows Monmouthshire was second only to Pembrokeshire out of 22 local authority areas across the country. 72.3 per cent of the waste collected by the council here was recycled during the year compared to the 73.5 per cent in the west Wales county.

But Monmouthshire council now says the current running totals see the county moving into first place to become the most sustainable place in Wales.

Cllr Catrin Maby, Monmouthshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, said. "This is a fantastic achievement for Monmouthshire, and it belongs to our communities.

“Thank you to everyone who takes the time to sort their recycling and food waste, and to the staff and local partners who help make it possible. Those everyday actions really do add up, and they help us protect our environment for the future."

In itself, Wales is the second best country in the world when it comes to recycling. Its recycling rate has improved dramatically from around 5% of waste reused, recycled or composted in the late 1990s to over 68% in 2024-25.

Monmouthshire council was also recently recognised in the Council Climate Action Scorecards, receiving the highest score of any UK local authority for Waste Reduction and Food, at 93%.

The scorecards are produced by Climate Emergency UK, a not-for-profit organisation that supports and shares best practice to encourage effective climate action.

The council has said its support of initiatives including the Benthyg "libraries of things" in Caldicot, Chepstow, Monmouth and Abergavenny has contributed to the improvement.

Cllr Maby continued, “As a council, we would like to thank all those volunteers who donate their time to community projects. Your dedication allows people to reuse or repair items that could easily be thrown away.”