ANGLESEY’S recycling rates are expected to be the best in Wales.

With the introduction of controversial three weekly bin collections in October 2016, the island’s recycling rate immediately shot up by 15%, compared to the figures 12 months previously.

But despite recycling 65.8% of its waste during 2016/17, council bosses are expecting even better results this year – which could place Anglesey as the highest ranked of Wales’ 22 local authorities.

Last year, Ceredigion was the council that recycled the most of its waste, 70.1%, followed by Wrexham and Monmouthshire neck and neck at 68.7%.

Cllr Bob Parry, the portfolio holder for highways, property and waste, said: “The levels of recycling across the island have improved dramatically over the year. Seventy three per cent of our waste is currently being recycled, which of course also brings in some income to the council.

“I haven’t seen the Wales-wide table yet, these are our own figures, but we expect to be the top of all of Wales.

“We’ve been number one in all of the quarterly reports to date and I don’t think any other council has improved enough over the past quarter in order to pass us.”

Recycled materials are still collected weekly, however, with a nappy collection service also in place.

But Cllr Parry was adamant that this has played a key role in the council’s recycling success.

He added, “The three weekly collections have definitely made a positive difference, people are certainly recycling more as a result.”

Although the year end figures have not yet been published, the results of the third quarter scorecard square up with Cllr Parry’s view, which showed that up to the end of December 2017, the authority had recycled 73.24% of its waste.

As part of its current waste strategy,“Towards Zero Waste”, the Welsh Government set all 22 authorities statutory recycling targets of 58% per cent of waste by 2016-17, and 70% of waste by 2024- 25.

But unless the year end figures tail off dramatically, this would mean that Anglesey had already met the Welsh Government target six years early.

In response, Cllr Alun Mummery said: “I think these figures are something to be proud of, showing that the island is leading the charge in this regard."