Bumper year for recycling puts Guernsey top of the pile

Guernsey has reached its recycling target a decade earlier than expected.

The government had hoped to send 70% of its household waste for recycling or composting by 2030.

The 2019 report show that that figure is already at 73% - putting Guernsey ahead of Germany, Austria and others across Europe.

It comes at the end of the first full year of the island's new waste strategy, which introduced charges for throwing out general waste, as well as separate recycling of glass and food waste and fortnightly collections.

In 2019, the overall amount of household waste sent for recycling and composting rise to 16,639 tonnages - almost a third higher than in 2017.

The changes were controversial when they were introduced in 2018 - but Richard Evans from States Trading Assets says islanders can be proud of what they have achieved already.

However, the success has come at a cost. Guernsey Waste has also announced that it now faces a deficit of £1.4 million.

The States are confident however that by recycling more they will save more money in the long run.

• WATCH Marina Jenkins' report here...