A Pembrokeshire Civic Amenity site has been voted best in Britain in a national award for excellence scheme.

Waterloo Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre in Pembroke Dock was voted 2011 CA Site of the Year at an event in London organised by letsrecycle.com

It also achieved a National Award for Excellence.

The Pembroke Dock CA site has a catchment area of 17 per cent of the population of Pembrokeshire and has seen its re-use, recycling and composting rate rise from 40 per cent to 70 per cent over the last five years.

In 2010, the site underwent a rebuild and was laid out to maximise re-use, recycling and composting.

One month after the rebuild re-use/recycling and composting was up by five per cent.

The operational area is now separate from the public areas, improving health and safety on the site. Staff also meet and greet householders to improve waste segregation and advise on how sorting waste before coming to the site can help recycling. 

Clr. Ken Rowlands, cabinet member for environmental and regulatory services, said:  "This is a great achievement and just shows what can be done when everyone is on board.

"We aim to make re-use/recycling and composting as easy and as pleasant as possible."

Steve Eminton, editor of letsrecycle.com, said: "The judges were impressed with the design approach Pembrokeshire Council had taken to encouraging people to recycle at the Waterloo civic amenity site in Pembroke Dock and the fact that its re-use, recycling and composting rate had risen from 40 per cent to 70 per cent.

"As local authorities develop their recycling and civic amenity sites, the Pembroke Dock facility is a good national example of what can be achieved."

The CA Site of the Year Award is sponsored by REPIC (Recycling Electrical Producers' Industry Consortium).