23.2 C
Manchester
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
BusinessKnutsford waste management company's plea to overcome recycling rate plateau

Knutsford waste management company’s plea to overcome recycling rate plateau

Despite efforts made by local councils to enhance household waste recycling, recycling rates have reached a stagnant point, according to new data.

Recycling and waste management company CRJ Services’ analysed seven years of waste collection data (dry recycling, residual waste, organic waste, and food waste) from the 10 largest councils by population in the UK.

The  shows that certain regions have even witnessed an increase in the disposal of waste in landfills or through incineration methods.

In 2021/22 across the ten largest councils by population, 508,657 tonnes of waste was recycled – the equivalent of six Taj Mahals.

Waste recycled

  • Leeds City Council: 72,196 tonnes
  • Birmingham City Council: 67,544 tonnes
  • Manchester City Council: 65,346 tonnes 
  • Bristol City Council: 55,089 tonnes
  • Liverpool City Council: 52,515 tonnes
  • Bradford Metropolitan District Council: 46,423 tonnes
  • London Borough of Croydon: 44,437 tonnes
  • Sheffield City Council: 42,225 tonnes
  • London Borough of Barnet: 39,525 tonnes
  • Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council: 23,357 tonnes

The report launches in light of the National Infrastructure Commission recently calling on the government to “urgently implement” waste legislation needed to achieve a 65% recycling rate by 2035.

Consistent approach required

CRJ Services is now calling for local authorities to establish a consistent approach to tackling recycling across regions and support consumers in understanding more about how to recycle their household waste.

Budget cuts and funding restrictions have forced many local authorities to charge for recycling collection. Analysis from CRJ Services shows that charging households appears to reduce the amount of recycling collected overall, putting local authorities in a challenging position to meet recycling targets.

Lack of understanding

Rob Symons, operations director of CRJ, said: “Local authorities are facing difficult decisions and in many cases, are having to sacrifice practices that would encourage effective recycling in order to stay afloat – illustrated by our findings.

“While people are getting better at recycling, there’s still a lack of understanding, knowledge and even care when it comes down to where to discard of your household waste.

“Private companies, especially manufacturers, have the power to reshape consumer behaviour and enhance recycling efforts without incurring substantial expenses. Whether it involves enhancing consumer awareness regarding packaging, or introducing recycling incentives, companies have the capacity to foster a genuine shift in individuals’ waste-consciousness.”

 

Helen Greaney
Helen Greaney
I'm a journalist with more than 18 years' experience on local, regional and national newspapers, as well as PR and digital marketing. Crime and the courts is my specialist area but I'm also keen to hear your stories concerning Manchester and the greater North West region.
Latest

Six more fines for waste offences in Bury

Six more people have been fined for waste offences on the streets of Bury this month. Fixed penalty notices of £400 were served on two...

How to align your web content strategy with web design

When building your eCommerce website, strategic alignment is vital. This means ensuring your web content strategy matches each page's visual design and user experience...

Six-year-old girl killed in Rochdale collision

Police are appealing for information after a child died following a collision in Rochdale last night. At around 5.35pm, a Range Rover was travelling westbound...

UK Middle-Income Workers Hit Hardest by Cost-of-Living Crisis, Finds moneyappi Survey

New findings from personal finance platform moneyappi have revealed that middle-income earners in Britain are facing the greatest financial pressure, with spiralling expenses and...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Business Manchester will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.
Don't miss

Six-year-old girl killed in Rochdale collision

Police are appealing for information after a child died following a collision in Rochdale last night. At around 5.35pm, a Range Rover was travelling westbound...

Vehicle crime in Greater Manchester down 27 per cent, reports show

Vehicle-related crime across Greater Manchester has seen a reduction of 27 per cent, according to new figures. During September 2023 and March 2024, Greater Manchester...

Double award win for Sodexo team at Wythenshawe Hospital

A project devised by Sodexo Health & Care at Wythenshawe Hospital has scooped two awards at the prestigious 2025 Safety & Health Excellence (SHE) Awards. Sodexo’s...

DVLA bans more than 500 new number plates

A Freedom of Information request made by private plate supplier Regtransfers reveals the banned number plates from the forthcoming  ‘75’ release. These latest plates will...

More News

How to align your web content strategy with web design

When building your eCommerce website, strategic alignment is vital. This means ensuring your web content strategy matches each page's visual design and user experience...

UK Middle-Income Workers Hit Hardest by Cost-of-Living Crisis, Finds moneyappi Survey

New findings from personal finance platform moneyappi have revealed that middle-income earners in Britain are facing the greatest financial pressure, with spiralling expenses and...

Switch Roles Unveiled: The Job Board Changing How Retail Recruits

Retail and hospitality recruitment is being reimagined with the arrival of Switch Roles, a next-generation platform built by those who know the industry inside...