Sustainable Beeswax Wraps and reusable straws
The government estimates that approximately 5 million tonnes of plastic is used each year in the UK alone. That’s the equivalent weight of around 1 million African elephants. So just how much of this plastic waste gets recycled? And is your local council providing you with adequate resources to recycle your single use plastics?
In this article we take a look at the most recent Plastic Recycling Statistics of 2020 in order to provide you with the latest facts and figures surrounding single use plastic recycling.
If you go to your local authority or council’s website, you’ll be able to see which items can and can’t be recycled. However, this advice differs depending on the area you’re in. You could even have different recycling rules than someone who only lives around the corner from you.
But why is this? How is it possible for one council to be able to recycle specific items and not others?
To find out, we collated all of the information on plastic recycling from councils across England. In doing this, we found the following plastic recycling statistics:
Given these discrepancies, it’s no surprise that nearly a third of Brits think their local council’s communication on recycling is poor.
We looked up the recycling information for every council in England, as mentioned. We wanted to identify which of the following 8 types of plastic you can and cannot recycle in each council area:
In only 10 of the 342 councils we researched could all of the above plastic items be recycled. So we're naming these councils as the top ones here:
At the other end of the scale, there are 10 councils recycling just 3 of the above items. They are:
Here's the full list of what you can and cannot recycle by council:
Council | Yoghurt Pots | Plastic Punnets (Eg fruit punnets) | Cleaning Product Bottles | Drinks Bottles | Plastic Milk Bottles (Without Tops) | Plastic Drinks Bottle Tops | Plastic Carrier Bags | Soft Plastic Plant Pots |
Barking and Dagenham LB | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Bury MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Oldham MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Slough Borough Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Southampton City Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Stockport MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Tameside MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Trafford MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
West Berkshire District Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Winchester City Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Amber Valley Borough Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Ashfield District Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Ashford Borough Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Aylesbury Vale District Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Barnsley MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bassetlaw District Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Bolton MBC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Broxtowe Borough Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Eastleigh Borough Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Manchester City Council MBC | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Sheffield City Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Test Valley Borough Council | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wakefield City MDC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Adur District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Allerdale Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Arun District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Brighton and Hove Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Doncaster MBC | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Ealing LB | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Hampshire District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Forest of Dean District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Halton Borough Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hampshire County Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hart District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Havant Borough Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Havering LB | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Horsham District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Knowsley MBC | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Luton Borough Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Mid Sussex District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
New Forest District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Northumberland | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Portsmouth City Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Redbridge LB | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rushmoor Borough Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Ryedale District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Salford City Council MBC | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Somerset Waste Partnership | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
South Hams District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Tendring District Council | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Thanet District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Waveney District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Worthing Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Wychavon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Basildon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bath and North East Somerset Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bedford Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bexley LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Boston Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bournemouth Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bracknell Forest Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bradford City MDC (MBC) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Braintree District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Breckland Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Brent LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bristol City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Broadland District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bromley LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Bromsgrove District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Buckinghamshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Burnley Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Calderdale MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cambridge City and South Cambs Councils | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cambridgeshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Camden LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cannock Chase Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cheltenham Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cherwell District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cheshire West and Chester | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Chesterfield Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Chichester District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
City of London | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Copeland Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Corby Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cornwall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cotswold District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Council of the Isles of Scilly | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
County Durham | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Coventry City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Craven District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Crawley Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Croydon LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cumbria County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Dartford Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Daventry District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Derby City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Derbyshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Devon County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Dorset Waste Partnership | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Dover District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Dudley MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Cambridgeshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Devon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Hertfordshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Lindsey District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East London Waste Authority | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Northamptonshire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
East Staffordshire Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Eden District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Elmbridge Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Enfield LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Epping Forest Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Fareham Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Fenland District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Folkestone and Hythe District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Forest Heath District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Fylde Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gateshead MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gedling Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gloucester City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gloucestershire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gosport Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gravesham Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Great Yarmouth Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Greenwich LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hackney LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hambleton District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hammersmith and Fulham LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Haringey LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Harlow District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Harrogate Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Harrow LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hartlepool Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Herefordshire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hertfordshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
High Peak Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hillingdon LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hounslow LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hyndburn Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Ipswich Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Kent County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Kettering Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Kingston-upon-Hull City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Kirklees MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lambeth LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lancashire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lancaster City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Leicester City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lewisham LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lincoln City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lincolnshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Liverpool City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Maidstone Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Maldon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Malvern Hills District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Merseyside WDA (MBC) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Merton LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Mid Suffolk District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Middlesbrough Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Milton Keynes Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Mole Valley District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Newark and Sherwood District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Newham LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Norfolk County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Devon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North East Derbyshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North East Lincolnshire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Kesteven District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Lincolnshire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North London Waste Authority | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Norfolk District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Tyneside Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Warwickshire Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North West Leicestershire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
North Yorkshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Northampton Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Northamptonshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Norwich City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Nottingham City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Pendle Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Plymouth City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Poole Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Reading Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Redditch Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Richmond upon Thames LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Richmondshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rochdale MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rochford District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rossendale Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rotherham MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rugby Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Runnymede Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rushcliffe Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Scarborough Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Sefton MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Selby District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Sevenoaks District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Solihull MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Bucks District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Derbyshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Gloucestershire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Holland District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Kesteven District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Lakeland District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Norfolk Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Northamptonshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Ribble Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
South Tyneside MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Southwark LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Spelthorne Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
St Edmundsbury Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
St Helens MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Stafford Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Staffordshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Stevenage Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Stratford-on-Avon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Stroud District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Suffolk Coastal District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Suffolk County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Sunderland City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Sutton LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Swale Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Swindon Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Tamworth Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Tandridge District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Teignbridge District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Telford and Wrekin Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Tewkesbury Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Torbay Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Torridge District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Tower Hamlets LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Uttlesford District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Walsall MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wandsworth LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Warrington Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Warwick District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Warwickshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Waverley Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wellingborough Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Welwyn Hatfield Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
West Lancashire Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
West Lindsey District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
West London Waste Authority | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
West Oxfordshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
West Sussex County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Western Riverside Waste Authority | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Westminster City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wigan MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wiltshire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wirral MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Woking Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wokingham Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wolverhampton MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Worcester City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Wycombe District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
York City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Barnet LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Birmingham City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Blaby District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Blackpool Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Bolsover District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Brentwood Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Broxbourne Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Canterbury City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Carlisle City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Castle Point Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Central Bedfordshire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Charnwood Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | yes | No |
Cheshire East | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Chorley Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Colchester Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Dacorum Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Darlington Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Derbyshire Dales District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
East Sussex County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Eastbourne Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Erewash Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Exeter City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Guildford Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Harborough District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Hastings Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Hertsmere Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Huntingdonshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Isle of Wight Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Islington LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Lichfield District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Medway Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Melton Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Mid Devon District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
North Hertfordshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
North Somerset Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Preston City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Ribble Valley Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Rother District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Rutland County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Sandwell MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Shropshire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
South Oxfordshire District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
South Staffordshire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
St Albans City and District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Stoke-on-Trent City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Surrey County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Surrey Heath Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Three Rivers District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Thurrock Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Vale of White Horse District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Waltham Forest LB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Wealden District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
West Devon Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Worcestershire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Wyre Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Wyre Forest District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Oxford City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Chelmsford Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | yes | Yes |
East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Leeds City Council MBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Leicestershire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Lewes District Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Nottinghamshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Oxfordshire County Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Peterborough City Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Watford Borough Council | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
It can be so difficult to know all of the do’s and don'ts surrounding how to recycle single use plastics. If the packaging labels on our products tell us one thing and the local council tells us another, then what should we do for the best?
Well, like with most problems we have, it turns out that many of us have been turning to Google for the answer. The following statistics show the average search volumes surrounding plastic recycling in the UK.
Almost all plastics can be recycled, but recent figures show that only 9% of plastics ever made are in fact recycled. So why is this?
Recycling statistics can only tell us so much, so to find out more we spoke to Dr Rachael Rothman, the Academic Lead for Sustainability and Associate Director of the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures at Sheffield University.
‘Local authorities across England give very different advice to their residents in terms of what can and cannot be recycled, specifically with regards to single use plastics. Do you think that local councils should do more to make sure that these materials are being recycled?’
“Yes, but so should producers, retailers and everyone else involved in the supply chain. Recycling tends to cause a lot of confusion amongst the public. In one area, we’re told that certain types of plastics can be recycled and in another we’re told to put them in our general waste bins. This confusion can unfortunately reduce peoples’ willingness and motivation to recycle. What’s more, it can also cause problems when it comes to recycling instructions on product labels as there isn't a consistent message.”
“If local authorities were all doing the same thing, it would help people to do the right thing.”
“This is something that WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme) have been working on. They aim to introduce consistent municipal recycling collections with a vision of significantly increasing recycling rates across the country.”
‘Do you think it would be worth the additional time and costs involved?’
“It’s not just time and money that needs to be considered here. It’s the amount of energy and environmental impact, too. The onus isn’t just on the local authorities, this change is also reliant on consumer behaviour and producer responsibility. The childhood saying ‘reduce reuse recycle’ really is critical. If there was less reliance on single use plastics in the first place, we wouldn't need to use as much energy to dispose of these items.
It’s important to conduct life cycle analyses to ask the question "is it better to recycle this product or not?”, and the answer is not always clear cut. There's a real onus on the producers and on councils to make sure that if you have the option to recycle an item that it does actually get recycled.
Take a milk bottle for example. Around 30% of the plastic from a milk bottle can be used again to make the same thing, meaning this is a ‘closed loop’ process. These processes are extremely beneficial to the environment as they mean that we’re relying less on what we call virgin (or natural) materials as well as reducing pollution and plastic sent to landfills.”
Are there any types of plastics that can’t be recycled?
“Most plastics can be recycled. However, it’s not that simple. There are some types of plastics that are extremely difficult to recycle. Crisp packets for instance have multiple layers of different types of plastic. This makes them extremely difficult to recycle as the layers must first be separated into different plastic parts.
It can be really tough to encourage manufacturers to use more sustainable packaging when it comes to products like crisps. Even though the current packaging is problematic for the environment, it also ensures that the packaging remains lightweight, flexible and keeps the contents fresher for longer. If large scale producers such as these found new ways of creating packaging with smaller material sets, this would enable us to recycle more single use plastics, thereby reducing carbon footprint.”
Back in 2015 a team of researchers conducted a detailed analysis to discover the fate of all mass-produced plastics that had ever been manufactured worldwide.
The study found that of the 6,300 metric tonnes of plastic waste that had been produced, only 9% of it was recycled. 12% of the plastic waste was incinerated and a staggering 79% ended up either in landfills or the natural environment.
We hope this article has provided you with all of the most important statistics on plastic recycling in England in 2020.