Last update:

13th November 2007

Quick links

What is waste?

Who manages our waste?

Regional waste trends

South West waste trends

Recycling targets and performance in the South West

Commercial waste in the South West

European landfill statistics

England waste strategy

South West waste strategy

Flytipping

Waste categories

Local Environment Quality

Waste

What's new on this page:

• 2006/2007 Municipal Waste Statistics
• Britain is officially the 'dustbin of Europe' - European landfill statistics
• Flytipping results for the South West April 2006 - March 2007
• New strategy for cutting England's waste published

What is waste?

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 identified waste as any substance which constitutes a scrap material, an effluent or other unwanted surplus.

This definition was amended by the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994 to define waste as 'any substance or object which the producer or the person in possession of it, discards or intends or is required to discard'.

Click here for more detail about waste categories (controlled waste, municipal waste, industrial waste, commercial waste, household waste, special waste, clinical waste and hazardous waste).

Who manages our waste?

Every household generates waste. Local Authorities are responsible for arranging for your bin to be emptied and for providing sites where you can take waste from the garden, DIY etc.

Most waste disposal and recycling sites are operated by industry. The Environment Agency is responsible for regulating these sites to ensure they don’t pollute the environment or harm the public.

More information about waste strategies and Low Waste South West is available here.

Waste trends in the South West

The following and analysis come from the latest summary estimates (by region) of the Municipal Waste Management survey 2006 / 2007 (Defra, 2007).

key facts for 2006/2007

Municipal waste in the regions

Total municipal waste

• The total amount of collected municipal waste has increased to an estimated 29.1 million tonnes in England in 2006/2007 compared to 28.7 million tonnes in 2005/2006, an increase of 1.4%.  The average annual increase in municipal waste from 2001/2002 to 2006/2007 was 0.2%.
• In total, 41.8% (12.2 million tonnes) of municipal waste had some sort of value (recycling, composting, energy from waste and fuel manufacture) recovered from it in 2006/2007, a rise from 37.2% (10.7 million tonnes) in 2005/2006.
• The proportion of municipal waste being recycled or composted increased from 27.1% in 2005/2006 to 30.7% in 2006/2007. The proportion of waste incinerated with energy recovery increased from 10% in 2005/2006 to 11% in 2006/07.
• The proportion of municipal waste being disposed of in landfill has continued to decrease from 62% in 2005/2006 to 58% in 2006/2007.
• The actual tonnage of municipal waste disposed of in landfill has also decreased again from 17.9 million tonnes in 2005/2006 to 16.9 million tonnes in 2006/2007.

Household waste and recycling

• In 2006/2007, household sources accounted for 89% of municipal waste (25.9 million tonnes), equating to around 509 kg of household waste per person per annum. 
• The amount of waste collected from household sources increased by 1.6% in 2006/2007, from 25.5 million tonnes in 2005/2006 to 25.9 million tonnes in 2006/07.  The average annual change in total household waste over the last five years is 0.3%.
• The proportion of household waste recycled (including composting) has continued to increase, rising from 26.7% in 2005/2006 to 30.9% in 2006/2007. This increase in the national recycling rate of 4.2 percentage points is the same as the growth rate achieved last year.  
• In absolute terms the amount of household waste sent for recycling or composting has increased by 17%, from 6.8 million tonnes in 2005/2006 to 8.0 million tonnes in 2006/2007.
• The amount of household waste not re-used, recycled or composted was 17.9 million tonnes, a decrease of 4.2% from 2005/2006.  This equates to 352kg per person of collected residual household waste.
• There continues to be variations in household recycling and composting rates between different regions with regional recycling rates ranging from 22% in London to over 35% in the East, East Midlands and South West.
• The proportion of municipal waste with some value recovered from it (recycling, composting, energy from waste and fuel manufacture) also varies by region from the West Midlands recovering value from 58% of their municipal waste to the North West with a recovery rate of 34%.
• The amount of municipal waste created during 2006/2007 was highest in the South West 4.6 million tonnes, followed by London with 4.2 million tonnes. All regions experienced an increase in the total weight of municipal waste between 2005/2006 and 2006/2007, the most marked being in the East with 3%.

Municipal waste in the South West

Almost 2.97 million tonnes of municipal waste (including household, street litter, recycling centres and amenity sites) was produced in the South West during 2006/2007. This accounted for just over 10% of the English total of 29.14 million tonnes and was the fourth lowest found in the English regions.

25.86 million tonnes of municipal waste came from household sources in England during 2006/2006 - just over 10% or 2.67 million tonnes of which was produced by South West households.

298,000 tonnes of municipal waste was also produced by non-household sources in 2006/2007. Although waste from these sources has increased by 73% since 2000/2001, 2006/2007 experienced a decline of just under 3% on the previous year.

Total municipal waste in the South West has increased by just under 11% since 2000/2001, from just under 2.68 to 2.97 million tonnes respectively. The decline in total waste experienced between 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 did not continue into 2006/2007, with an additional 32,000 tonnes (1%) of waste produced in the region in comparison to the previous year.

Total household waste continues to increase in the region and was almost 7% higher in 2006/2007 than in 2000/2001, increasing from 2.5 to almost 2.7 million tonnes. Household waste was almost 2% higher in 2006/2007 than in the previous year.

Total municipal waste from non-household sources increased by 78% between 2000/2001 and 2006/2007, from 172,000 to 307,000 tonnes. However, there was a decline of just under 3% experienced between 2005/2006 and 2006/2007.

Municipal waste arisings in the south west: 2000/2001 to 2006/2007

click to enlarge

Source: Defra (2007)

Source of municipal waste in the South West

In 2006/2007, 90% or 2.67 million tonnes of all municipal waste produced in the South West came from household sources. Of this, 46% (1.34 million tonnes) came from household collections and 33% (992,000 tonnes) from household recycling.

In 2005/2006, 89% or 2.6 million tonnes of all municipal waste produced in the South West came from household sources, 50% of which came from household collections. Non-household sources and non-household recycling were responsible for the remaining 307,000 tonnes.

Management of municipal waste

The long-term sustainable management of waste represents an ongoing and significant challenge for the region.

Landfill remains the principal method of waste disposal in England, as it is in the South West. Just over 1.8 million tonnes (62%) of municipal waste was sent to landfill in the region in 2006/2007, this was slightly higher than the English average of 58%.

With 38% of waste recycled or composted in the region, the South West had the highest rate in England during 2006/2007.

In terms of other forms of disposal, 0.1% of the region's municipal waste was managed by other methods (0.9% percentage points lower than the English average) and 0.1% managed by incineration without energy from waste (9.9 percentage points lower than the English average).

Although the gap between the amount of waste sent to landfill and that being recycled or composted is still considerable, there has been a positive movement away from reliance on landfill in the South West. Between 2000/2001 and 2006/2007, municipal waste sent to landfill in the region reduced by 373,000 tonnes, from 82% to 62% respectively. This mirrored the national trend.

Municipal waste in the South West local authorities 2006/2006

2006/2007 Local authority municipal waste statistics are not yet available.

In 2005/2006 the highest amount of municipal waste produced in the region was in Cornwall with 322,761 tonnes or 11% of the regional total. This was closely followed by Gloucestershire with 311,082 tonnes (11%) and Somerset with 298,853 tonnes (10%). The Isles of Scilly produced the lowest amount of municipal waste with 3,614 tonnes (0.1%), followed by Torbay with 81,799 tonnes (3%).

Household waste was again highest in Cornwall (303,467 tonnes or 12%), Gloucestershire (287,402 tonnes or 11%) and Somerset (269,127 tonnes or 10%). The lowest amounts were created in the Isles of Scilly (2,194 tonnes or 0.1%) and Torbay (63,412 tonnes or 2%).

Data on how waste is managed in the region at a county/borough/unitary level in the South West is now available and can be downloaded here (excel spreadsheet).

As with national & regional trends, landfill was the main form of management of municipal waste in the South West local authorities in 2005/2006. The highest amount of municipal waste sent to landfill in 2005/2006 was found in Devon 251,419 tonnes (12% of the regional total). This was closely followed by Cornwall with 234,670 (12%).

Relatively small proportions of waste were sent to incineration with energy from waste, the highest amounts of which were found in Poole (328 tonnes), Bristol (110 tonnes) and Bath & North East Somerset (105 tonnes). Only four local authority areas were using incineration without energy from waste. The greatest amount of waste disposed of in this way was found in the Isles of Scilly (2,129 tonnes), followed by Devon (507 tonnes).

Bournemouth & Bath and North East Somerset also used other forms of waste management, with 3,102 tonnes and 4 tonnes disposed of in this way respectively.

No local authority areas disposed of waste through RDF manufacture.

Recycling of household waste

The Government has set a target to recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste by 2005, 30% by 2010 and 33% by 2015. Provisional figures for 2005/02006 reveal that households in England recycled 27% of their waste, 4% more than in the previous year and exceeding the 25% target for 2005/2006.

Just under 31% of household waste was recycled in the South West in 2005/2006. This was the 2nd highest rate in the country and significantly higher than the English average of 27%. This reveals an increase of 16%, or 499,000 tonnes, on 2000/01.

Each local authority area has been set its own recycling & composting target for 2005/06. However, the region's current rate of increase in recycling waste means these targets may not be met in some local authority areas.

Audited figures on household recycling and composting rates released by Defra for 2005 / 2006 show that 261 (66%) local authorities in England met or exceeded their individual targets for 2005 / 2006. 210 (53%) of them also met or exceeded the national target of 25%.

An average of 26.7% of household waste was recycled in 2005 / 2006 – exceeding the Government’s target of 25% and up from 7% in 1996 / 1997. Two-thirds of authorities also reported a decrease in collected household waste per head between 2004/5 and 2005/6.

The highest recycling and composting rate in the South West during 2005/06 was found in Teignbridge District Council with over 45%, whilst the lowest rate was in Gloucester City Council with 14%. Teignbridge and East Dorset district councils were both highlighted for having made the greatest improvement in recycling rates between 2003/04 and 2005/06. Full results are available here.

Industrial & Commercial waste

Over 5.56 million tonnes of industrial and commercial waste was produced in the South West during 2002/2003. Accounting for 8% of the national total, the region produced the 2nd lowest amount of the English regions behind the North East with 7%.

Total industrial and commercial waste produced in the region increased by 6% between the last survey in 1998/1999 and 2002/2003. However, this was due to a 28% increase in commercial waste (from 2.32 million tonnes to 2.97 million tonnes). Industrial waste actually declined by 11% during this period (from just over 2.91 million tonnes to almost 2.59 million tonnes).

Industrial & commercial waste in the South West 1998/1999 and 2002/2003

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Source: Environment Agency (2005)

Commerce and industries in Devon produced the largest total amount of waste, with 20% of the regional total (1.13 million tonnes), closely followed by the Former Avon also with 20% (1.11 million tonnes). With 9%, the least amount was produced in Cornwall (516 thousand tonnes).

In terms of just industrial waste, Devon produced the largest amount with 20% of the regional total (519 thousand tonnes). Commercial waste was highest in the Former Avon area with 23% (685 thousand tonnes). Cornwall produced the least amount of both commercial and industrial waste with 9% (266 thousand tonnes) and 10% (250 thousand tonnes) of the regional total respectively.

Industrial & commercial waste in South West counties 2002/2003

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Source: Environment Agency (2005)

Around 40% of all commercial & industrial waste in the region was recycled or re-used increased, an increase of 8 percentage points (549,000 tonnes) on 1998/1999. The amount of waste being sent to landfill also declined 2 percentage points (36,000 tonnes) during this period to account for 43% in 2002/2003.

Management of industrial & commercial waste in the South West 2002/2003

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Source: Environment Agency (2005)

European waste trends

New figures revealed on the 12th November 2007 show that Britain is officially the 'dustbin of Europe' as it dumps more household waste into landfill than any other country in the European Union.

Research by the Local Government Association, a cross party organisation which represents councils in England, shows that in the most recent year where figures are comparable to EU countries, households in the UK sent more than 22.6million tonnes of rubbish to landfill. The figures also show that Britain sent the same amount of rubbish to landfill as the eighteen EU countries with the lowest landfill rates combined - despite having almost twice the population of the UK.

Council leaders will warn that an area the size of Warwick, which covers 109 square miles, is already taken up by landfill, and if the current trend continues it is estimated the country will run out of landfill space in less than nine years time.

The countries with the highest amount of household rubbish thrown into landfill for the most recent comparable year (2005) are:

• The UK which dumps around 22.6 million tonnes
• Italy which dumps around 17.6 million tonnes
• Spain which dumps around 14.2 million tonnes
• France which dumps around 12 million tonnes
• Poland which dumps around 8.6 million tonnes

While the amount of rubbish being thrown into landfill by Britain has declined markedly over the previous twelve months, European countries have also been drastically cutting the amount they send to landfill, leaving Britain still at the top of the rubbish heap.

Research recently published by the Local Government Association revealed up to 40 per cent of a regular household shopping basket cannot be recycled.

Local government leaders will warn that unless bold reforms are made by householders, shops, businesses and manufacturers - recycling rates will not rise fast enough to meet the EU Landfill Directive and help tackle climate change and will hit the pockets of taxpayers.

Councils, and consequently the taxpayer, are facing fines of up to £150 per tonne of rubbish that is sent to be dumped into landfill sites. According to the National Audit Office, fines of up to £200million could hit taxpayers for the failure to cut the amount that is thrown in landfills.

Waste management strategies

A new strategy for cutting waste was published on the 24th June 2007. The Waste Strategy for England 2007 includes:

• More effective incentives for individuals and businesses to recycle waste, leading to at least 40% of household waste recycled or composted by 2010, rising to 50% by 2020. This is a significant increase on the targets in the previous waste strategy, published in 2000.
• A greater responsibility on businesses for the environmental impact of their products and operations through, for example, a drive to minimise packaging and higher targets for recycling packaging.
• A strong emphasis on waste prevention with householders reducing their waste (for example, through home composting and reducing food waste) and business helping consumers, for example, with less packaging. There will also be a new national target to help measure this – to reduce the amount of household waste not re-used, recycled or composted from 22.2 million tonnes in 2000 to 12.2 million tonnes by 2020 – a reduction of 45%
• Government has agreed with the Direct Marketing Association to develop a service so that people will be able to opt-out of receiving unaddressed as well as addressed direct mail. The Government is also considering moving towards an approach where people would only get direct mail if they opted in by placing their name on the direct mail register
• Working with retailers for the end of free single use bags. This could involve retailers only selling long-life bags, or retailers charging for disposable bags and using the proceeds to sell long-life bags at a discount
• A challenge to see recycling extended from the home and office and taken into public areas like shopping malls, train stations and cinema multiplexes, so that it becomes a natural part of everyday life. To help deliver this, the Government is working with owners of public spaces to draw up guidance and a voluntary code of practice to be published by the end of the year. Groups including the Airport Operators Association, British Council of Shopping Centres, Earls Court and Olympia Group, Highways Agency and the Local Government Association have already come out in support of this. In particular, the Royal Parks has committed to putting recycling bins in all its parks within the next 12 months and the Association of Event Venues says its members plan to install recycling bins for waste brought in by audiences at major events
• Subject to further analysis and consultation, banning biodegradable and recyclable waste from being put into landfill sites
• An increase in the landfill tax escalator by £8 per year from 2008 until at least 2010/11 – announced by the Chancellor in March. Partly as a result of this, business waste landfilled is expected to fall by 20 per cent by 2010 compared with 2004
• Increasing the amount of energy produced by a variety of energy from waste schemes, using waste that can’t be reused or recycled. It is expected that from 2020 a quarter of municipal waste - waste collected by local authorities, mainly from households - will produce energy, compared to 10% today.

The waste strategy also sets out the Government’s view that there are strong environmental arguments for encouraging more separate collection of food waste to boost composting and anaerobic digestion. Where food is collected separately, evidence suggests higher recovery levels are achieved by collecting it weekly.

Dealing with waste in the South West

There is a Regional Waste Strategy for the South West 2004 - 2020 - From Rubbish to Resource (South West Regional Assembly, 2004). This is available to download in PDF format (broken down into 3 sections due to size), see below:

This regional strategy will add value to other plans for dealing with waste at a local level by:

• Looking at all types of waste across the whole region
• Helping to address waste issues that cross local boundaries
• Tackling difficult issues that locally might present too many insoluble problems, but where regional solutions can help meet the needs of several areas
• Lobbying on behalf of the whole region where problems, such as lack of funding exist
• Enabling the removal of barriers to bettwe management of waste

It sets out how we can deliver the 'South West Vision for Waste: Minimum Waste, Maximum Benefit' (South West Regional Assembly, 2002). This vision aims for the South West to become a minimum waste region by 2030, with households and businesses maximising opportunities for reuse and recycling.

Operational waste facilities in the South West

There are 921 operational waste management facilities in the South West in 2006, the 4th highest in England and Wales and around 13% of the national 7000 total. Yorkshire & the Humber had the highest number of sites (1083), followed by the North West (985) and the South East (945).

Source: Defra (2006)

Low Waste South West

Every year the South West produces 2.5 million tonnes of domestic waste, 5.5 million tonnes of commercial & industrial waste, and 12.5 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste.

At present 80% of domestic waste and around 50% of commercial and industrial waste is dumped in landfill sites - and we are running out of landfill space. The region needs to adopt the ‘waste hierarchy’ more positively so that:

• First we seek to reduce the amount of waste we all produce
• Second we reuse as much as possible
• Third we recycle
• Fourth we recover as much value as we can from what is left

The Government Office for the South West has launched an important new section on the region's sustainability website, Our South West,

Low Waste South West brings together in one place the relevant regional strategies and actions to help the region become a low waste region. It will undergo continuous development as activities are developed by regional partners.

The new web page also highlights the national context for moving towards more sustainable waste management.

Landfill Tax benefits the South West's environment

According to a report by the BBC, a tax put in place to help reduce the amount of rubbish buried in the ground has raised huge sums for environmental projects in the South West. Millions of pounds generated by the landfill tax has been ploughed back for improvements to the environment.

The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has been among the groups to benefit, receiving £100,000 to help fund a boat to improve access for visitors to Looe Island. The Devon Wildlife Trust has had more than £1m to help with its work. About £20,000 was used in Dunsford to provide clearances of woodland glades.

One of the Devon trust's projects has been to rehouse ants from Paignton Zoo back into the into the wild. In Somerset, the wildlife trust has planted a new woodland near Taunton with about £100,000 from the landfill tax last year.

The amount of landfill produced should decrease over the years as more rubbish is recycled, composted or incinerated, but money to come from the tax will continue to benefit good environmental causes.

Waste categories

There are many types of waste, as defined in various legislations including the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. The key categories are identified and defined in the table below:

Source: The Chartered Institute of Wastes Management and Environmental Information Exchange

More Information on specific waste materials and items is available on the Defra website.