The UK is working hard at catching up to its neighbors in the recycling arena but many are asking if the efforts are enough. The current rate is 33.9% and the amount of waste does seem to be decreasing. However, this does not mean there is time to rest on one’s laurels.
Waste Data Flow results published by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reveal that household waste has fallen from 25.8 million to 25.6 million tonnes and landfill waste decreased from 16.9 million to 15.8 million tonnes. Additionally, municipal waste decreased by nearly 1%, which equals approximately 0.3 million tonnes.
In a recent statement, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock said she can see that the efforts are beginning to pay off.
“We know we can’t keep throwing rubbish into landfill. My postbag is full of letters from people saying they want to recycle more. But unless they know their efforts are making a real difference they won’t keep trying,” Ruddock said.
“That’s why statistics like these are so important. The figures are provisional - we will know the full picture by the end of the year - but the early results show those efforts continue to be worthwhile. Local authorities and their residents are making good progress.
“We still have some way to go before we are performing at the level of some of our nearest neighbours in Europe. But we are catching them up, and positive feedback like this should encourage all of us to keep up the effort to reduce and recycle our rubbish.”
To learn more, go to: defra.gov.uk
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