A VILLAGE in South-East Wales has become a role model for recyclers thanks to a push by one of its celebrity residents.
The community of St Arvans, which is home to Spice Girls star Mel C, has achieved some of the best recycling rates in Europe and won an Innovation Award category of the Wales Recycling Awards last year.
In a far cry from topping the charts and stadium tours, the singer known as Sporty Spice has become a recycling role model to the Monmouthshire village, which has seen recycling rates almost double from 36% to 69% in recent months.
Much of the success has been put down to the singer’s promotion of Monmouthshire Community Recycling (MCR) after her home village was declared one of two pilot “zero waste” initiative area.
“Recycling is so important for the future of our planet and I think we should all do our bit for the environment,” she said.
“It feels good to know that a little effort goes a long way.
“All we have to do in Monmouthshire is pop our cans, paper, glass and textiles into the black boxes provided.”
In St Arvans 18 materials can now be recycled on the doorstep, including printer and toner cartridges, mobile phones and household batteries.
And in response to feedback in the village, where many houses have wood-burning fires, ash is collected too as part of the green waste collection.
Villager Lou Summers, said her family had always recycled on some level but began on a large scale with the black box scheme.
“We recycle glass, tins, batteries, clothes, tetrapacks, foil, rigid plastic, paper through the black box system, which we first became aware of when Mel C was pictured with one in our local newsletter,” she said.
“And now, all of our garden waste, all waste food and our cardboard are collected by Wormtech too.
“We have three black boxes and a green waste bag in the garage – the children know what the boxes are for and take waste items to the garage as they are produced.
“Food waste goes into a small bin with a biodegradable bag in the kitchen which is emptied into a larger outside bin.
“I encourage my children, Polly nine, Joe eight, Jake, seven and five-year-old Ceri, to reduce, reuse and recycle at home and this message is taught at their school, The Dell Primary.
“The only main item not recycled is soft plastics, so I avoid buying items with excessive packaging.
“I give good clothes and toys to the Red Cross Shop or to friends.
“And we get 90% of our clothes from family, friends and the Red Cross Shop.”
Her neighbours, Jane and Sebastian Nicholls, said they believe that “clarification” of what needs to be recycled where and when, has made their village such a success.
“If householders know exactly what to do they are more likely to do it,” said Dr Jane Nicholls.
“Accessibility was a problem for our elderly neighbour but that problem was gone after MCR agreed to deliver the black box direct to her door – such one-to-one care makes all the difference.
“We have not seen Mel C but we know she’s around. With her high profile she appeals to young people. It comes down to motivation in the end and we want a better environment for the next generation.”
MCR set up the zero waste village initiative to see what could be achieved when efforts were focused on two very different areas: St Arvans village and urban north Abergavenny (a Welsh Assembly Communities First area).
An MCR spokesman said: “We now have plans to roll out zero waste initiatives throughout the Wye Valley and beyond.
“We feel it’s a model that could be replicated throughout the UK and shows what can be done by recycling contractors working in partnership with local authorities, residents and businesses.”
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