Latest waste statistics show britain becoming recycling society

England's household waste recycling rate has risen to over 33%, and a continuing decrease in the amount sent to landfill, according to new data published by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The provisional estimates show that in the year end to September 2007, compared with the previous year:

• Total municipal waste changed little, decreasing from 29.1 million tonnes to 29.0 million tonnes
• Waste sent to landfill, decreased from 16.9 to 16.1 million tonnes.

These figures continue the trend of the previous quarter statistics. Commenting, ESA Chief Executive Dirk Hazell said:

“Waste management is changing in the UK - for the better. Recycling and recovery targets set in the UK and in Europe means better use is made of the resources we use and Britain is well on the way to becoming a Recycling Society.”

ENDS

Background Notes

1) ESA is the UK’s sectoral trade association for waste and secondary resource management, an industry accounting for 0.7% GDP.

2) Defra has published the latest quarterly survey data of municipal waste for England – the Municipal waste management statistics 2007/08 – providing provisional estimates for second quarters (July-September 2007) http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wastats/bulletin08qtr.htm