23 April 2024The Welsh Government has provided an update for town and community councils in Wales concerning the new waste regulations that came into force on 6 of April 2024.
Welsh Government have confirmed that whilst town and community councils are not listed in legislation as having the status of Principal Litter Authority, and therefore the associated exemption, there are likely to be litter activities undertaken by town and community councils that help a Principal Litter Authority to discharge its duties and/or arrangements in place with a local authority that similarly allow for discharge of this duty.
Therefore, it is their policy intent that town and community councils will also benefit from the exemption for local authorities’ litter collection duties on the basis that they are helping the relevant local authority to discharge its own duties under s.89(1)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
This means that while councils still have to separate their workplace waste in accordance with the legislation, they do not have to separate waste from public bins. However, it is considered good practice to provide bins that enable the public to separate their waste themselves in the spirit of the new legislation.
