Good news
There are often reports in the media on how the UK does not recycle enough, but in reality, there is good news concerning the nation’s waste and recycling performance. How the UK deals with its waste continues to improve. We are in the top 10 of countries that send the least to landfill and recycle the most. The UK also produced less municipal waste per head in 2018 compared to 2005 which is really encouraging. The above table shows how the UK compares to other European countries on how waste is handled. This performance data is around municipal waste, which includes waste from households and businesses. Eurostat gathers this performance data from the main European countries. The most recent reliable waste performance data is from 2018. The time lag here is due to the complexities around reporting periods in different countries, when data becomes available and how its gathering and analysing is done, allowing it to be compared on a like-for-like basis. The Eurostat information is one of the more reliable data sources on waste and recycling performance. More information around their recycling performance report is available via this link.
How can we further improve recycling?
Nearly half of municipal waste goes to recycling in the UK and only a small portion of it still goes to landfill sites. In London, even less waste is sent to landfill due to previous investment in more recycling and energy recovery facilities which generate power from waste that cannot or should not be recycled. Recycling rates continue to increase. The government’s Resources and Waste Strategy is an important enabler for more reuse and recycling. More importantly, it also addresses reducing waste in the first place which is by far the best option.
It is important we tackle some bad habits that undermine the success of recycling. For recycling to work it is vital that the quality of materials is high. Please only place what can be recycled into your recycling bin. Placing the wrong items in your recycling hoping they will be recycled, known as ‘wish-cycling‘, makes whole loads unusable due to contamination.
The export of low quality, poorly sorted recycling to (developing) nations with lax environmental protection standards, as done by some commercial waste collectors, creates problems and damages the environment. Rightly so that this practise is being addressed by the government. It is easy for you to avoid these issues as a business. Simply use our recycling and waste management services which will ensure you stay ahead of the game.
To help businesses with recycling just download our easy to use recycling guide below. This guide provides useful tips, advice and guidance on recycling.
How Commercial Waste Services can help you
As a trusted local commercial waste collector we can offer your business all the help and services it may need to help improve waste and carbon performance. Not only will this help the environment, it will also help your finances. With us, you have the advantage of not paying VAT on our collection rates. This will help your cash flow immediately with no more applying and waiting for those VAT returns. On top of that, our rates are extremely competitive. Compare the £1.35 per bag of mixed recycling you pay with a competitor to the £0.72 per bag which our service costs.
A great way to start your convenient journey of improving your waste performance is by booking a waste audit. This audit will allow you to find out what exactly is in your waste and what you can do to efficiently gather these materials within your business and recycle them. Where some competitors charge between £50 to £800 for such an audit, with us they are complimentary. Waste not, want not. Book yours today by clicking on the link below.
