By 2003/04 councils are expected to achieve an overall recycling rate of around 17% with a target of 33%, including composting, by 2015. By 2005/06 councils overall are to achieve 25%. The target figures are contained in the DETR guidance document on Muncipal Waste Strategies (which is separate from the Audit Commission report) published earlier this month. The guidance in effect gives councils a little more time to reach targets than appeared at first. By turning the original proposed date of 2005 into a financial year 2005/2006 it is seen as allowing for a more likely achievement of the targets.
The Audit Commission explains in its report that its indicators on recycling of household waste are tonnes collected and recycled per household. To show comparisons between councils the Commission calculates the percentage of waste recycled, something it cannot do for county councils as they do not have to report on the tonnes of household waste collected that was not recycled.
There are two categories of councils and the figures, available on the Commission website, are for councils that only collect waste and for those that both collect and dispose of it. The can be downloaded in Excel form.
The Commission says that generally councils which collect and dispose of waste recycle a higher proportion that the others.
Findings include that the highest recycling figure was from district councils and lowest among metropolitan councils and that the average council that both collects and disposes of household waste, recycled 12.3%. London boroughs had the highest average figure at 15.4% and metropolitan councils the lowest at 8.2%.
The chart shows average figures across a range of authorities since 1994/95.
Comparisons
Pointing out the differences between councils, the Commission notes that the London borough of Sutton recycled more than 11 times the proportion of another – Tower Hamlets; and Bournemouth unitary council recycled more than eight times the proportion of another, Nottingham.
It was also found that while metropolitan councils lag behind other councils, their average recycling rate has nevertheless more than doubled during the same period.
The gold award for recycling would appear to go to Daventry which has notched up a 35.3% recycling rate. Other districts to do well include Forest Heath in Suffolk at 28.4%, Lichfield at 27.6% and Chiltern at 27.1%. Among unitary authorities Bournemouth reported a 30.1% rate, Bath and North East Somerset 26.8% and York 26%. In London Sutton achieved 29.4% and Bexley 24.9%.
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