Bruna Alves
Research lead covering environment and sustainability
Recycling in the UK - statistics & facts
The complexity and fragmentation of the United Kingdom’s recycling system have become barriers to its progress. With more than 400 local authorities managing more than 30 different collection regimes across its territory, consumers are confused. The lack of standardization, combined with an underdeveloped recycling infrastructure, has seen the UK’s municipal waste recycling rate fall severely behind when compared to global recycling leaders such as Germany, South Korea, and Switzerland.
Household waste recycling rates also vary significantly within the same country. In FY 2023, the local authorities with the highest household waste recycling rates in England sent more than 60 percent of their collected waste for recycling, reuse, or composting. In contrast, Tower Hamlets London Borough was the local authority with the lowest household waste recycling rate that year, with a rate just shy of 18 percent.
Household waste recycling rates
Recycling rates in the United Kingdom vary significantly depending on the type of material and the local authority responsible. In recent years, the overall recycling rate of waste from households across the UK has stagnated, oscillating between 44 and 46 percent, below the (pre-Brexit) EU target of 50 percent. Scotland has consistently reported the lowest recycling rates, at less than 42 percent in both 2020 and 2021. Meanwhile, Wales has the highest rate, remaining above 56 percent in those same years.Household waste recycling rates also vary significantly within the same country. In FY 2023, the local authorities with the highest household waste recycling rates in England sent more than 60 percent of their collected waste for recycling, reuse, or composting. In contrast, Tower Hamlets London Borough was the local authority with the lowest household waste recycling rate that year, with a rate just shy of 18 percent.
How much UK packaging waste is recycled?
Packaging waste, which accounts for a large share of household waste, is one of the main focuses of recycling policies and campaigns. In 2021, the recycling rate of packaging waste in the UK stood at 63.2 percent. Metal, glass, and paper and cardboard packaging all had recycling rates above 70 percent. Meanwhile, plastic packaging recycling saw the lowest figure since 2018, at 44.2 percent, after recording a year-over-year decrease. The lack of standardization in collection regimes across the UK territory is considered one of the main barriers to boosting packaging recycling rates, as consumers are often confused on how to correctly dispose of their residues.The future of UK recycling
Despite its poor performance in recent years, the UK government is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent annually to landfills. With a municipal waste recycling rate target of at least 65 percent by 2035, and an overall packaging recycling target of 70 percent by 2030, a series of policies are being put into place. These include a new unified collection system across all councils and local authorities in England and the Extended Producer Responsibility policy. A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for bottles is also expected to be rolled out by October 2025.
