Government recycling policy 'needs to change'

The UK government and manufacturers need to take a "longer-term view" on the amount of plastic used in products after China banned imports of foreign waste, according to the leader of the Welsh Local Government Association.

Councillor Debbie Wilcox, also leader of Newport City Council, said UK government policy on recycling needs to change and manufacturers should "stop wrapping things up 10 times more than is needed".

She also claimed about 19% of Wales' paper and cardboard went to China.

In 2014-15 Wales exported 26,850 tonnes of materials overseas for recycling, including 4,116 tonnes of plastics.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said last month his long-term goals were to reduce the amount of plastic in the economy overall, reduce the number of different plastics, simplify local authority rules so people can easily judge what is recyclable and what is not as well as increase the rate of recycling.