As one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities, Cardiff continues to welcome new residents, businesses and communities. As the city evolves, so does the need to provide high-quality recycling services and help more people reduce waste and recycle well.
To support this growing demand, we’re delighted to welcome 10 new Recycling Communications Officers to the Waste Management Strategy team. Bringing experience in community engagement, environmental projects, customer service and education, they have quickly become valued members of the team.
Now four months into their roles, they are already helping residents, schools and community groups across Cardiff to recycle more, reduce waste and make better use of the services available to them. From delivering education sessions and community engagement activities to supporting behaviour change campaigns, they are making a valuable contribution to creating a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city.
Waste Strategy & Engagement Officer Sam Blee said:
“We’re delighted to have welcomed our new team members to the Waste Management Strategy team. Over the past three months, they’ve each brought a wealth of skills, enthusiasm and fresh ideas, quickly becoming valued members of the team.
Their commitment has already strengthened the work we’re doing across Cardiff, and we’re excited to see the positive impact they’ll continue to make as we support residents, schools, businesses and community groups to reduce waste, recycle more and help create a more sustainable city for everyone.”
Meet the Recycling Communications Officer Team
Rhodri – “It has certainly been a busy three months so far. Much of our work has involved early morning monitoring, which requires us to start very early to observe which waste receptacles residents are presenting before collection crews arrive.”
Saffron – “Once all the data has been collected, we use it to carry out targeted campaigns aimed at households identified as not presenting certain materials for recycling, such as a food waste caddy. We then undertake doorstep conversations with residents, understand any barriers they may be facing, and check whether they have the correct receptacles.”
Nenet – “Where necessary, we can provide the required containers on the doorstep and offer guidance on how to use them, helping residents to participate fully in the service. There has also been outreach stalls where we have set up at hubs and shopping outlets so that the public can come and talk to us about all of Cardiff Councils waste and recycling initiatives’
Ishmael – “We also got involved with the Students on the Move campaign in June and July, where we helped set up two recycling sites, one in Cathays and another in Plasnewydd. This campaign gave students leaving Cardiff a place to bring items they no longer needed so they could be reused or recycled. I was really surprised by the amount of material we received.”
Andrew – “At the end of each day, we weighed the different waste streams, including small electrical items, clothes, plastics and metals. We then loaded two large Luton vans and transported everything back to Lamby Way.”
Lily – “It was good to know that many of the items collected were set aside for Nulife Furniture and the Cardiff Waste Savers Reuse Shop. Clothes were donated to Cowley Community Closet, while unopened cans and packets of food were given to Cardiff Foodbank.”
Liv – “Everything that could not be reused was placed in the appropriate skips at Lamby Way for recycling. It was a huge project to undertake, especially during what felt like one heatwave after another.”
Bryan – “I have been part of Waste Strategy for 10 years, and this was the fourth year I have been involved with the Students on the Move campaign. In my view, it was the busiest yet. The amount of reusable and recyclable material collected was incredible, and it was great to see so many students making the effort to dispose of their unwanted items responsibly.”
Richard – “It was all good fun too. Despite the hard work, there was always time for a bit of humour and team spirit.”
Kerena – “It was a great team effort over three busy weeks, and it was rewarding to see so many items diverted from disposal and given a second life within the community. A staggering 17 tonnes of unwanted stuff was collected.”
What this Means for Cardiff
Sam Blee noted – ‘The expansion of the Waste Management Strategy team has enabled us to reach more residents, schools and community groups than ever before. With additional capacity to carry out targeted engagement, provide recycling advice and support behaviour change campaigns, the team can help more people access the services available to them and recycle with confidence.
Through local outreach events across the city the new team members have spoken to 2,421 Cardiff residents, this helps us gather valuable insight from communities across Cardiff, allowing us to better understand local challenges and develop initiatives that improve participation, increase recycling rates and reduce waste across the city.
Looking Ahead
Over the coming months, the team will continue to build on their early successes by delivering a range of education, engagement and behaviour change projects across Cardiff. This will include working closely with residents, schools and community organisations to promote waste reduction, increase recycling participation and support the Council’s ambitions for a cleaner, greener city.
July 2026
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