WREXHAM Council’s recycling statistics are on the up.

Thanks to the efforts of residents, the amount of waste recycled in Wrexham hit 68 per cent in 2017/2018.

The council’s recycling wheelie boxes, first introduced in 2016, have proved to be a popular and convenient way of helping residents to recycle their household waste.

At the moment, only around 16,000 of all homes in Wrexham use the wheelie boxes, with other homes using the original-style containers.

But a further 2,800 new wheelie boxes are on the way.

The authority has received £112,000 in funding from the Welsh Government to buy more recycling wheelie boxes.

This means there will be 2,800 additional boxes, ready to distribute throughout the county from Saturday, September 1.

The new roll-out is again based on the wheelie box trial carried out in 2015, when about 200 boxes were tested at homes throughout the county borough.

The results from that initial trial showed that the boxes work well on bigger estates and areas with good access.

Wrexham Council has also spoken to other councils which have been using wheelie boxes for their input as well, so the authority can learn from those who have been using wheelie boxes longer than people in Wrexham.

This roll-out will involve a small number of boxes covering areas such as New Broughton, Penley, Llwyn Onn Park, Ruabon, Marchwiel, Cartrefle, Garden Village, Acrefair, Rhos, Johnstown, Gwersyllt and Pontfadog.

Cllr David A Bithell, lead member for environment and transport, said: “We’re grateful to the Welsh Government for this further investment into our recycling wheelie boxes, and with the further roll-out, about a quarter of all homes in the county borough will be covered by wheelie boxes.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all Wrexham residents once again for the enthusiasm with which they’ve embraced recycling. Thanks to them, we’ve been able to bring our recycling rates up to some really excellent levels, and with improvements like the further roll-out of wheelie boxes, that rate can only improve.”