Bristol races ahead in recycling rates

A Bristol waste recycling lorry offloading its contents into the transfer station

Bristol races ahead in recycling rates

We remain a leading city for recycling according to data released from the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

  • Bristol recycling rate surges ahead to 47.4%, from 44.9%
  • The city is 2.3% ahead of the national average (45.1%)
  • Bristol remains No.1 in England for recycling among core cities for the second year
  • Recycling rates increased by whopping 2.5%
  • Significant drop in residual waste, falling by 27.2kg per household per year

Bristol remains a leading city for recycling, according to data released from the Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The city ranks number one out of the eight English core cities, with an increased recycling rate of 47.4% for 2018/19. This is an increase of 2.5% from the previous year.

The newly released stats, which show a further 2.5% increase in recycling since 2017/18, reaffirm Bristol’s environmental credentials. And they look set to continue to rise, with awareness of the need to be more sustainable on the increase.

By comparison, the other core cities are:

  • Birmingham: 22%
  • Liverpool: 23.6%
  • Nottingham: 26.5%
  • Sheffield: 31%
  • Newcastle: 37.9%
  • Leeds: 38.7%
  • Manchester: 40.1%

The city has also seen a significant drop in the volume of residual waste each household produces. This has fallen by 27.2kg per household per year – about the weight of 10 bricks! This means we are creating less waste as a city.

The figures show a significant drop in the amount of waste sent to landfill, which fell to by 5.5%, from 19.9% to 14.4%.

Tony Lawless, Managing Director, Bristol Waste said:

“This city has taken waste reduction to its heart and it is making great strides in increasing recycling. We know there is still a journey to go on and that we cannot do it alone. By working with the residents – who have literally done tonnes to help already – we can help Bristol waste nothing.

“We’ll continue to support residents and businesses to reduce their waste. Sharing hints and tips on the small steps they can make to save resources, save the city money, and ultimately save our environment.

“As a city we are determined to lead the way in waste. Last year we launched the Waste Nothing Challenge, with 50 families aiming to be zero waste within 12 months. As well as rolling out the bag for cardboard, giving all residents extra recycling capacity. This year, we will open our first-ever reuse shop, selling good quality, pre-loved items at the Avonmouth Recycling Centre and continue our award-winning Slim My Waste campaign, which has seen a huge increase in food waste capture.”

Cllr Steve Pearce, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Waste, Commercialisation and Regulatory Services, said:

“Bristol takes environmental issues seriously – and our status as number one for recycling reflects that. We can all be proud of the work being done across the city to reduce waste and reuse where we can.

“Thank you to all the people of Bristol for playing their part in helping us improve our recycling rates. We know there is even more that can be done, and we’re committed to driving even higher rates by further improving the service and supporting infrastructure.

“Together, we can build on this good work and continue to do everything we can to reduce our impact on the environment.”

Bristol Waste’s award-winning food waste campaign ‘Slim My Waste – Feed My Face’ has seen a sustained 20% increase in the amount of food waste collected since it launched in June 2018.

Full information on recycling rates, as published by DEFRA can be found on the Government website.


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