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Recycling rates in Wales have risen, according to new figures.

They show 56% of waste in 2014/15 was recycled by Welsh councils - up 2% on the previous year.

Environment Minister Carl Sargeant welcomed the latest rise, saying Wales "continues to lead the UK".

All Welsh councils have been set the target to recycle 58% of waste by 2016 and the target will eventually rise to 100% by 2050.

Seven councils have already achieved the 58% rate.

Denbighshire is the best-performing, recycling 66% saying it has a system "that is convenient and easy to understand".

Blaenau Gwent the worst on 50%, a fall of 5% but the council said it had been expecting the drop due to charges for green waste and a reduction in food waste collection.

'World leader'

Mr Sargeant said: "Local authorities have worked hard to encourage households to increase the amount they recycle and that seems to be making a difference."

He said the Welsh government will continue working with councils to achieve "our ambitious zero waste goal" and make Wales "a world leader".

Conservative shadow environment minister Janet Howarth noted the "divergence in performance across Wales" and added local authorities should be "sharing good practice".

William Powell, Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, said: "There can be no excuse for recycling rates to be so low in some areas."

EU target

The Welsh Local Government Association's environment spokesman, councillor Andrew Morgan, said: "This is an extraordinary achievement not just by local councils in developing new services, but on the part of our local communities who are engaging, changing their habits and adapting to new ways of managing their household waste."

Peter Clayson of Caerphilly-based paper and card recycler DS Smith said Wales is "doing very well and leading the way" in the UK.

He said that it has been able to achieve greater levels than England by setting definitive targets for its councils.

The UK as a whole has to achieve a 20% EU recycling rate by 2020.