In 2022, the recycling rate of municipal waste in the United Kingdom stood at **** percent, when considering recycling and composting combined, slightly down from the previous year. Municipal waste recycling rates in the UK nearly quadrupled between 2000 and 2019, peaking at **** percent in the later year. With progress stalling in recent years, the UK is off-track to reach its target to recycle ** percent of municipal waste by 2025, and ** percent by 2030.

In 2022, some 43.4 percent of waste from households in England was recycled. Recycling rates plummeted in recent years due to the outbreak of COVID-19, which heavily impacted waste collection services. Recycling rates in England peaked in 2019, at 45.5 percent.

Local authority barriers

One issue with the amount of recycling that can be done in England is that not all local authorities collect the same materials. While all local authorities collect plastic bottles, not all collect plastic pots and trays, and very few collect plastic film. As a result, the recycling rate of plastic in England is far lower than other household waste materials, such as paper and cardboard.

Plastic waste exports Another issue facing the UK's recycling industry is that it lacks the capacity to recycle all of its plastic waste domestically. Therefore, huge volumes of plastic waste are exported for recycling each year. These volumes are sometimes larger than plastic waste that is reprocessed in the UK. However, these shipments still count towards UK recycling rate targets.

In 2022, **** percent of waste from households in the United Kingdom was recycled, slightly down from **** percent a year earlier. Wales has consistently reported the highest recycling rate for household waste in the UK, at almost ** percent in 2022. In contrast, Scotland had the lowest rate, at **** percent.

This publication covers annual estimates for waste collected by local authorities in England and the regions. These statistics are based on data submitted by all local authorities in England to WasteDataFlow on the waste they collect and manage.

The methodology and recycling explainer documents give background and context to this statistical notice, accompanying datasets and the waste and recycling measures they present.

There is also a further historical note on the definition of local authority collected waste relating to earlier releases.

The entire raw dataset is available in CSV format and can be found here: https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/0e0c12d8-24f6-461f-b4bc-f6d6a5bf2de5/wastedataflow-local-authority-waste-management">WasteDataFlow - Local Authority waste management - data.gov.uk

Historic releases

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20250102235615/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2022-2023

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20230802024231/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results-202122">2021- 2022

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20220503105415/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2020 - 2021

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20210728220801/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2019-2020

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20200604042448/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2018 - 2019

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20190903035029/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2017 - 2018

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20181207030346/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2016 - 2017

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20170418015547/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2015 - 2016 This includes the ad hoc release entitled “Provisional 2016/17 local authority data on waste collection and treatment for England (April to June and July to September 2016)”.

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160512131028/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2014 - 2015

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20150401112814/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2013 - 2014

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140321171631/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results">2012 - 2013

Historic datasets

Historic datasets

Table shows the proportion of collected household waste which is recycled or composted. Figures for 2004/5 were taken from the London Councils organisation as the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) do not list complete LA level statistics for this year. From 1998/99 to 2003/04 estimates for household waste recycling (including composting) rates are based on data supplied to the annual DEFRA Municipal Waste Management Survey. From 1998/99 to 2001/02 figures revised since previous publication. Recycling/composting rates for 1998-99 were first published in Annex A of "Guidance in Municipal Waste Management Strategies" published by DEFRA in March 2001 and 1999/00 rates in Annex B of the consultation paper on "Distribution of the £140 Million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund", available from https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/waste-and-recycling-statistics The recycling rate is calculated as set out below. For Waste Collection Authorities (WCA) and Unitary Authorities (UA): X/Y x 100, where: X = Tonnage of household waste collected by the WCA or UA which is sent for recycling/composting (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling) Y = Total tonnage of household waste collected by the WCA or UA (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling) For Waste Disposal Authorities (WDA): X/Y x 100, where: X = Tonnage of household waste collected by the WDA which is sent for recycling plus tonnage of household waste which is sent for recycling by the constituent WCAs (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling) Y = Total tonnage of household waste collected at Civic Amenity sites by the WDA plus total tonnage of household waste collected by constituent WCAs (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling) Annual Results for Local authority collected waste management published by are available here. For more Local Authority Waste and Recycling Information visit the WRAP Portal. The site is accessible to the public but does require registration on the first visit.

The South West was the region of England with the highest recycling rate of local authority collected household waste for the year ended March 2023, at 48.2 percent. In the financial year 2019, the South West reported a recycling rate of 50.1 percent. This is the only time a region in England has had a recycling rate higher than 50 percent.

The proportion of household waste which is recycled or composted by Local Authority Source: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA): Municipal Waste Management Survey Publisher: Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Geographies: Local Authority District (LAD) Geographic coverage: England Time coverage: 1998/99 to 2005/06 Type of data: Administrative data

The recycling rate of waste collected by local authority across England for the year ended March 31, 2022 was 41.9 percent. This was a slight increase from the previous year, up from 41.6 percent. Recycling rates have increased significantly since the financial year 2000/01, when the recycling rate was just 12.3 percent. Despite this significant growth, rates have slowed down over the past decade.

Since 2010, the United Kingdom's recycling rate of electrical and electronic waste (WEEE) has seen an overall increase, despite some fluctuation, peaking at ** percent in 2018. Electronic waste, often referred to as e-waste, is electronic products such as phones, computers and televisions that are discarded at the end of their useful life.

Household waste: green and dry recycling rates: 1997/98 to 2009/10 Data and Resources Household waste: green and dry recycling rates: 1997/98 to 2...CSV Household waste: green and dry recycling rates: 1997/98 to 2009/10

Forecast: Municipal Waste Recycling Rate in the UK 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

In a bid to minimize waste and move towards a circular economy, a series of waste reduction targets have been set for England. By 2025, at least 55 percent of municipal waste must be recycled, with the target increasing to 65 percent by 2035.

The government had previously set a target of recycling 50 percent of household waste by 2020, but England missed this target with a recycling rate of 44 percent that year, with officials citing disruptions caused by COVID-19 as the main reason for this.

Waste rates for Leicester CityTotal % diversion is the amount that is diverted from landfill by recycling, reuse, composting and refuse derived fuel for energy recovery.Note: In the financial year 2017/18 the plant used to treat black bag waste was unavailable for an extended period in quarter 4 due to breakdowns. As a result less compost was produced.

Household Waste Collected and Recycling rates. The dataset shows annual (financial year) figures for Local Authority Districts and Lincolnshire. The data shows the quantity (kg) of Household Waste Collected per person. (This reflects former national indicator BVPI 84a). The data also shows the overall Household Recycling and Composting Rate, as a percentage of household waste. (This reflects former national indicator NI192). Household Waste figures are used to calculate the Recycling rates. The county total figure for Household Waste may be higher than the sum of the districts, because Lincolnshire is a disposal authority not a collection authority. The data is updated annually. Source: DEFRA

This dataset consists of 34 transcripts of semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews with households in areas of 4 countries with high/low consumer recycling rates (England, Scotland, Spain, Germany). The aim was to explore how they engaged with the use and disposal of plastic packaging. We looked specifically at social practices within different households as this is a neglected but important site for managing waste. We explored social practices, perceptions, emotions, knowledge, and understandings of plastics packaging (recycling, repurposing, retaining, reusing, refusing). The interviews shed light on the value of plastics recycling which is understood widely but in practice the lived experience of plastics recycling is complex and frequently requires negotiating relationships. Ideas about classification systems and sorting differ considerably for cultural reasons; inter- generational perspectives on the value of plastics are also apparent and better understanding of these issues will help us shed light on the complex social context of circular economies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of plastics in the environment, impacting on waste management across the UK, EU and globally. We have seen increased demand for single use plastics for public health purposes, disruptions to the usual distribution pathways and variations in reuse, recycle and retention which are all vital to developing a circular economy. As countries begin to ease lockdown restrictions it is likely that citizens will face greater pressures in managing their waste with potentially more home based working, less travel and socialising and increased single use plastic packaging (e.g. medical equipment, customer avoidance of 'loose' retail products).

An explosion of interest in the ongoing problem of plastic waste has seen a diverse range of solutions being proposed. Recently we completed the PRISM project (2015-18) with a number of industry leaders that has shown a real and sustainable proof of concept that promises to be a significant part of the solution to this problem.

We will address the automatic sorting of waste plastic containers used in food and non-food grade applications as is partially done at waste recycling plants. Current automated near infra-red sorting techniques are unable to identify food grade from non-food grade packaging which consigns high value polymer resins into low grade; non food grade uses or worse still, landfill and incineration. We will enable a low cost labelling system suitable for commercialisation, to make this sorting a reality; support the long term viability for closed loop sorting of these materials (PP, PE, PET, e.g. plastic milk bottles, drinks containers to household detergent bottles). Previously our consortium demonstrated a labelling system that can be used for high speed sorting of various crushed plastic bottles at high belt speeds with high purity and high yield which has received a great deal of interest from global brands.

To commercialise this proof of concept it is desirable to optimise the luminescent materials that will be taken forwards so we will develop a sustainable low cost luminescent marker system using low toxicity and environmentally safe materials, thus lowering any commercial barrier to enter the market.

Once this technology is proven then we will be in a strong position to seek wide implementation of our technology and run full scale field trials with major brand owners facilitated through our NextlooPP partner. This transformative project will have the effect to reduce inappropriate plastics disposal and increase recycling rates by increasing the monetary value of the recycled material. This will address the Plastics Pacts objective of 30% recycled content by finalising the underpinning luminescent labelling technology to be implemented. Implementation of this technology into the NextlooPP process will facilitate the availability of rPP granules for food, cosmetics and lower grade applications thus reducing the demand for virgin polymer.

Tackling the systemic problem of plastic waste effectively cannot be achieved through purely technical means and our research offers fresh insights into people's perspectives on recycling and how consumers (UK, Spain, Germany) engage with surface markers on plastic packaging in their households, a neglected but important site for managing waste. This project thus moves beyond the technical infrastructure of waste management and design of products to address people's perceptions and behaviour with plastic packaging in their every day life and how their perceptions and behaviour might have changed in light of COVID-19. This ambitious project will thus help position the UK at the forefront of innovation in sorting hard to recycle plastics and offers fresh insights by integrating technical, business, policy and consumer focused elements to ensure that we are in alignment with stake holders all across the plastic packaging supply chain.

The recycling and recovery rate of plastic packaging in the United Kingdom stood at **** percent in 2023, the highest figure recorded in the displayed period. The amount of plastic packaging recycled in the UK has nearly doubled since 2012. How is plastic recycled in the UK? One of the most important steps in the recycling process of plastic waste is the collection of recyclables. In 2023, *** percent of local authorities in the UK offered curbside collection of plastic bottles, while ** percent also offered collection of plastic pots, tubs, and trays. After collection, plastic waste is transported to a recycling center where it can be sorted and cleaned. The plastic is then shredded, melted and pelletized so that it can be ultimately used as raw material for manufacturing new plastic products. Plastic waste that is not collected for recycling is either sent to landfill sites or incinerated for energy recovery. Collected does not mean recycled Many nations – including the United Kingdom – export part of their waste to other countries because they either lack the recycling infrastructure to manage the volume of waste generated or because it is cheaper to ship their waste to countries with lower labor and processing costs. Less than half of the plastic packaging waste collected in the UK is recycled domestically, with the highest share being exported. In 2024, ****** was the leading destination of UK plastic waste exports.

Tonnages of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting WasteDataFlow - the web based system for statutory reporting of municipal waste data by UK local authorities to government. Members of the public can register for public access to WasteDataFlow on their website, where there is a user guide for the public, which includes instructions for registering. DEFRA waste and recycling statistics – website provides a range of waste datasets including local authority and commercial waste
Waste and Resources Action Programme – website provides statistics from WasteDataFlow outputs and information on local authority waste and recycling services. Members of the public can register and log in to the site.

The Scrap Metal Recycling industry plays a crucial role in supplying raw materials to steelmakers, foundries and manufacturers, supporting industrial output and economic growth. Industry performance is closely tied to the price of virgin ferrous and non-ferrous metals, which directly dictates the value of recycled scrap. Industry performance hinges on the strength of downstream markets, including the automotive, construction and manufacturing sectors, which dictate demand for recycled rubber across a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. Industry revenue is poised to expand at a compound annual rate of 2.4% over the five years through 2025-26, reaching £8.69 billion, although revenue is expected to drop by 4.8% in the current year. The contrast reflects volatility in global metal prices, which corrected after a period of sharp increases that allowed recyclers to cash in. As prices have subsided, returns have reverted to more normal levels. Recyclers have benefitted from signs of life in the construction sector, with ONS data showing output rose 0.6% in the three months to July 2025, boosting demand for scrap. At the same time, the industry has navigated a bumpy ride in manufacturing, where the S&P UK Manufacturing PMI stood at 47 in August 2025, the eleventh consecutive month of contraction. Revenue has been boosted by a resurgence in exports, driven by the UK’s excess scrap and renewed demand from Asian countries. Environmental concerns are also helping to lift business and consumer recycling rates, while more downstream markets are making use of recycled metals. Profit is expected to nudge downwards to 5.6% in 2025-26, reflecting a softening in scrap values. Revenue is slated to drop at a compound annual rate of 3.4% over the five years through 2030-31 to £10.28 billion. The industry is set to benefit from the ongoing recovery of key downstream markets, supported by ambitious housebuilding targets and a stronger environmental agenda that is accelerating the shift towards recycled materials. Broader green initiatives to expand recycling rates, as the UK focuses on net zero targets, will further boost supply, helped by tighter regulations like the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. As the volume of recycling is expected to climb, businesses will seek to expand their waste collection streams, including rare earth metals from end-of-life EVs. At the same time, improving technology will help scrap metal recyclers improve efficiency, notably the introduction of electric arc furnaces that promise a surge in recycling rates, pushing up revenue and profit.