This topic covers multiple data sources which are used to produce estimates on the generation and management of waste. The data are available by sector, type and management route. The topic below gives an overview of the national household recycling rate.
Publications
The Bulletin provides summary information as well as some trend data from previous years. It includes information on - smoking, household composition, debt, internet access, health, sport and leisure, environmental issues, mobile phones and job applications.
Final estimates of municipal waste arisings and management for England and the regions.
Includes information about the amount of municipal waste collected from household and non-household sources and the levels of recycling in Wales .
Overview
Waste can arise from many sources:
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Households
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Industrial and commercial businesses
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Construction and demolition activities
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Agriculture
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Mining and quarrying
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Dregdings and sewage sludge
There are also various management methods for dealing with waste including:
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reuse
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recycling
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incineration
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biological or thermal treatment
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landfill
A range of data sources are used to compile estimates of waste production and management.
Data on municipal waste is provided by local authorities through a quarterly web-based survey, known as WasteDataFlow. This provides National Statistics on municipal and household waste.
WasteDataFlow is also used to monitor the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’s (DEFRA) national Waste Strategy for England. Additionally, WasteDataFlow is also used to produce National Indicators 191 and 192 as part of the local government performance framework.
Technical Data
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to allow faster and more accurate data collection of municipal waste statistics, more regularly and efficiently
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to enhance their local data management for reporting and strategic planning purposes, and
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to offer them streamlined access to performance benchmarking with other authorities
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to monitor progress towards national and local targets
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to produce National Statistics on municipal waste
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in particular to enable local authorities to meet the requirement to report quarterly data to the Monitoring authority under Landfill Allowances Schemes regulations
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to monitor progress towards national and local targets, and
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to provide an evidence base to guide government policy
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An increase in the national household recycling rate, from 30.9 per cent in 2006/7 to 34.5 per cent in 2007/8
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Less municipal waste was sent to landfill, decreasing from 16.9 to 15.5 million tonnes, or 54 per cent of total municipal waste
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Total municipal waste decreased by 0.6 million tonnes from 29.1 million tonnes to 28.5 million tonnes, or 2.2 per cent. A decrease in total household waste was also observed, from 25.8 to 25.3 million tonnes, and
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The average residual household waste per head decreased from 353kg per head in 2006/7 to 324 kg per head in 2007/8
Glossary
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Centralised composting
Large-scale schemes that handle kitchen and garden waste from households and which may also accept suitable waste from parks.
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Civic Amenity waste (or Household Waste Recycling Centre waste)
A sub-group of household waste, normally delivered by the public direct to sites provided by the local authority. Consists generally of bulky items such as beds, cookers and garden waste as well as recyclables.
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Co-mingled materials
Waste collected in a mixed form that is destined for recycling after further sorting.
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Commercial waste
Waste arising from any premises which are used wholly or mainly for trade, business, sport, recreation or entertainment, excluding municipal and industrial waste.
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Composting
An aerobic, biological process in which organic wastes, such as garden and kitchen waste are converted into a stable granular material. The result can be applied to land to improve soil structure and enrich the nutrient content of the soil.
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Controlled waste
Household, industrial, commercial and clinical waste that requires a waste management permit for treatment, transfer and disposal. Other legislation and procedures control radioactive and explosive wastes.
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Energy recovery from waste
Includes a number of established and emerging technologies, though most energy recovery is through incineration technologies. Many wastes are combustible, with relatively high calorific values - this energy can be recovered through, for example, incineration with electricity generation.
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Household waste
Includes waste from: 1. household collection rounds (waste within Schedule 1 of the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992) 2. waste from services such as street sweeping 3. bulky waste collection 4. hazardous household waste collection 5. litter collections 6. household clinical waste collection and separate garden waste collection (waste within Schedule 2 of the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992) 7. civic amenity sites 8. separate waste collections for recycling or composting through bring/drop off schemes, kerbside schemes and at civic amenity sites
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Industrial waste
Waste from any factory and from any premises occupied by an industry (excluding mines and quarries).
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Integrated co-collection
Kerbside schemes where materials for recycling are collected by the same vehicle at the same time as the ordinary household waste collection.
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Kerbside collection
Any regular collections of recyclables from premises, including collections from commercial or industrial premises as well as from households. Excludes services delivered on demand.
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Landfill sites
Any areas of land in which waste is deposited. Landfill sites are often located in disused mines or quarries. In areas where they are limited or no ready made voids exist, the practice of landraising is sometimes carried out, where waste is deposited above ground and the landscape is contoured.
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Mechanised metal extraction
Processes that allow the extraction of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from waste. This includes magnetic extraction and eddy current separation, but does not include hand sorting.
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Municipal waste
This includes household waste and any other wastes collected by a Waste Collection Authority, or its agents. It can include: 1. municipal parks and gardens waste 2. beach cleansing waste 3. commercial or industrial waste 4. waste resulting from the clearance of fly-tipped materials
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Recycling
Involves the reprocessing of wastes, either into the same product or a different one. Many non-hazardous industrial wastes such as paper, glass, cardboard, plastics and scrap metals can be recycled. Special wastes such as solvents can also be recycled by specialist companies, or by in-house equipment.
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Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)
A process whereby municipal waste is compressed into pellets which are then used as a solid fuel supplement in a power station.
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Separate collection
Kerbside schemes where materials for recycling are collected either by a different vehicle or at a different time to the ordinary household waste collection.
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Special waste
Is defined by the Control of Pollution (Special Wastes) Regulations 1980 as any controlled waste that: 1. contains any of the substances listed in Schedule 1 to the regulations 2. is dangerous to life 3. has a combustion flashpoint of 21C or less 4. is a medical product as defined by the Medicines Act 1968
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Treatment
Involves the chemical or biological processing of certain types of waste for the purpose of rendering them harmless, reducing volumes before land filling, or recycling certain wastes.
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Unitary Authority (UA)
A local authority which has the responsibilities of both Waste Collection and Waste Disposal Authorities.
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Waste
The wide ranging term encompassing most unwanted materials, defined by the EU Waste Framework Directive and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Waste includes any scrap material, effluent or unwanted surplus substance or article that requires to be disposed of because it is broken, worn out, contaminated or otherwise spoiled. Explosives and radioactive wastes are excluded.
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Waste Collection Authority (WCA)
A local authority charged with the collection of waste from each household in its area on a regular basis. Can also collect, if requested, commercial and industrial wastes from the private sector.
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Waste Disposal Authority (WDA)
A local authority charged with providing disposal sites to which it directs the Waste Collection Authorities for the disposal of their controlled wastes, and for providing Civic Amenity facilities.
Contact Details
For statistical enquiries about this topic, please contact:
David Lee
Email: enviro.statistics@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: + 44 (0) 8459 33 55 77
DEFRA Environment Statistics Service (ESS) Ergon House 11 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR
