NEW figures show two council areas in Gwent failed to hit recycling targets last year.

Caerphilly County Borough Council recorded a rate of 59.7 per cent over the 12 months between April 2021 and March 2022 - the Welsh Government target is currently 64 per cent.

The rate in Caerphilly was the second-lowest of Wales' 22 councils over the same time period, with only Cardiff (58.2 per cent) recycling less.

In Torfaen, residents also fell short of the national target, recycling 62.6 per cent of their waste.

This meant Torfaen was ranked 17th out of 22 in the Welsh league table.

The data also shows a slight overall decrease in rates in Wales compared with the previous 12 months, suggesting people were generally better at recycling their rubbish during the height of the pandemic.

Residents in Wales managed to recycle 65.2 per cent of their waste in the same period, down from 65.4 per cent a year earlier.

The Welsh Government has laid out ambitions to be a world leader in recycling, and councils which fail to keep up risk being fined.

South Wales Argus:

Elsewhere in Gwent, residents in the Blaenau Gwent council area managed to recycle 64.9 per cent of their waste, beating the government target.

Newport and Monmouthshire councils were both among the top 10 recyclers over the same 12-month period, between April 2021 and March 2022, which is the most recent data available.

Residents in the Newport City Council area recycled 67.1 per cent of their waste, earning them ninth spot in the rankings.

The Monmouthshire council area was the sixth-best recycler in the same 12 months, recording a rate of 69.6 per cent.

The crown for the best recyclers in Wales went to Pembrokeshire (73.2 per cent), with Bridgend (72.5 per cent) earning second place, and a tie between Conwy and the Vale of Glamorgan (70.2 per cent) in third.

The Welsh Government's current 64 per cent recycling target will be raised in the coming years, increasing pressure on councils - and therefore residents - to make sure even less of their waste ends up in landfill.

The nation's statutory target for recycling will be raised to 70 per cent of all household waste by 2024-25.