Source: DEFRA

Household waste and recycling in the UK

In the UK there has been a 38 per cent reduction in non recycled household waste per person between 2000-01 and 2009-10

Why is this important – The EU Waste Framework Directive requires the UK to recycle, compost or reuse 50 per cent of waste from households by 2020.

Household waste recycled per person (kgs): UK, 1991-92 to 2009-10

 

• Household waste includes household bin waste and also waste from civic amenity sites, other household collections and recycling sites. Between 2000-1 and 2009-10 household waste per person decreased by  8 per cent, with each person generating 466 kg on average.
• The amount of waste recycled or composted has increased, and accounted for 39 per cent of household waste in 2009-10.  There has been a year on year decrease in the  amount of non-recycled waste per person over the last eight years. It is now at the lowest level since estimates were first made in 1983-4, most of this goes to landfill.