Introduction
England’s waste recycling rate was 44% between 2023-2024, but how does your local area perform compared to this? Some areas in England are known for having a better reputation than others when it comes to waste production, but do the official statistics tell the same story? This blog looks at the latest data on England’s waste generation and recycling, as well as comparing various county councils’ performance.
England’s recycling data
England has performed worse in recycling rates and waste generated since 2019, which was likely impacted by covid. We have performed better since 2022, but we shouldn’t rest on our laurels, because there is a general worsening since 2019 and unless it is nipped in the bud we could end up in a worse situation than before.
Here are the latest statistics from Defra:
The impact of your local area
Has your local area influenced the country’s waste statistics? Across England, each region’s management of collected waste varies by the proportions sent to landfill, recycling facilities and incinerators; see below.
Data from your local authority
The beauty of the waste data provided by Defra, is that you can check the performance of your local authority. The recycling rates amongst the 321 local authorities in England varied significantly between 2023 and 2024 from 15.8% in Tower Hamlets (London) to 62.9% in South Oxfordshire (South East). You can also check your area’s ranked position on Lets Recycle . Our company is based in Stroud and in 2015 our position for recycling was 314th, but thankfully we have since reached 6th place, and are currently around the 22nd position.
What can we do?
There are quite a few things we can all do to reduce waste. What’s even better, some of those things lead to us learning new skills and save us money too. For instance, in our local area, Stroud, there is a range of initiatives that support reducing waste, mainly through repairs and upcycle. For example, a repair café to repair damaged items for free, a transition textiles group to upcycle old clothes, a bike group to repair bikes. Make sure to check your local area for waste reduction initiatives.
Here are some other waste and recycling tips from the council:
- Rinse recyclables before putting in the recycling bin/bag
- Remove plastic film lids of containers before placing the container in your recycling bin/bag
- Check before you chuck – If you are unsure about what can be recycled, check your local authority’s website
- Check your local authority’s website for more specific tips for your recycling and waste bins.
Food waste
Food waste is also a big issue, as a waste composition study undertaken in 2018/19 in the Stroud District, found that nearly 2,000 tonnes of food waste ended up in the general waste stream.
You can reduce food waste by planning your meals, only buy what you know you’ll eat, store food properly and be creative with leftovers. Discover some simple hacks, tips and guidance to make the most of your food at home by visiting: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
If you would like to discuss how your organisation can make environmental improvements, please get in touch to discuss. https://shiftenvironment.co.uk/contact/