Waste Facts & Figures

Landfill

  • The UK 'produces over 220 million tonnes of controlled waste (waste that we regulate) per year, nearly 75% of which ends up in landfills.'
  • Where does all this waste come from?

For every tonne of household waste we produce, commercial, industrial and construction businesses produce another six tonnes. Nearly one tonne is produced by services (shops, banks and insurance companies); a further two tonnes by the industries which make the goods we buy; and three tonnes are produced by the construction industry.

  • Industry and commerce produced about 79 million tonnes of waste in 2002/03 in England.
  • The Government has announced that landfill and other related costs could rise by up to 4% annually. Based on these assumptions, the total costs for landfill could rise by up to 55% in the next few years.

Global Warming

  • Putting waste in landfill means we lose valuable resources. Landfill also produces methane gas as biodegradable rubbish rots down, which can contribute to air pollution and global warming.
  • Sea level rose by 1.5mm per year in the 20th century. Climate change may affect sea levels.
  • 'Eustatic' change in sea level is due to long-term variations in ocean circulation or ocean volume. These changes can happen through the oceans warming or cooling as a result of climate change. Eustatic change can also occur as glaciers and ice sheets melt and freeze, adding or removing water from the oceans.
    Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction & Research: On-going research into this field. www.met-office.gov.uk/

Recycling

  • We recycle more each year. Recycling rates increased from 14% in 2002/03 to nearly 18% in 2003/04.
  • Currently 75% of the Uk’s municipal waste is sent to landfill. 9% is incinerated and only 16% is recycled. In comparison recycling rates of 30 – 60% are common in other European countries.

In 2001 the UK recycled

  • 64% of lead, 46% of copper and 16% of zinc
  • 39% of paper and 33% of glass
  • only 6.3% of plastic

Measures to increase recycling

Obstacles to recycling include a lack of collection facilities, reprocessing plants and viable markets for the recycled product. Measures to increase recycling include the following:

  • Increasing local authorities’ recycling and composting statutory targets to 25% by 2005 and 33% by 2015
  • Developing markets for recycled materials through WRAP (Waste and Resources Action)
  • Generating finance for reuse and recycling projects through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme
  • Requiring businesses to take more 'producer responsibility', for example, by targets in the Packaging Regulations.
  • Increasing people's awareness of recycling through The Government’s "Are you doing your bit?" campaign and the National Waste Awareness Initiative.

Recycle Now: Government's £10 million campaign to raise awareness on recycling. link: www.recyclenow.com

Statistics and Case Studies: Defra http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/waste/wrindustry.htm

Sources: Environment Agency & Various

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