OPINION: The latest Defra data showing a 40kg per person drop in non-recyclable waste since 2019 is an important milestone for England’s waste system. Per‑capita residual waste has fallen from 575kg to 535kg in just five years, a welcome shift that shows progress is possible when policy, delivery and behaviour are aligned.
This reduction reflects sustained effort rather than a single intervention. It points to a system that is gradually becoming simpler, more consistent and easier to engage with – for local authorities, businesses and householders alike.
A key factor has been the direction of travel set by Defra through its resources and waste reforms. Simpler Recycling, in particular, represents a meaningful step forward. By establishing greater consistency in what is collected and how, it helps remove confusion and allows services to operate with reduced contamination. When recycling is straightforward, participation improves and less material ends up in the residual bin by default.
Local authorities deserve significant credit for translating policy into practical change on the ground. Despite operating under intense financial pressure, councils continue to redesign collection services, invest in resident communications and use data more intelligently to drive performance. Where authorities have been able to work closely with experienced waste management partners, those changes have delivered tangible reductions in residual waste.
The waste industry’s role has been to support that transition at pace. Operators have invested heavily in modern vehicle fleets, treatment infrastructure and digital systems, while working constructively with Defra to ensure reforms are deliverable and resilient. That collaboration matters: policy ambition only succeeds when matched by operational reality.
Our work with Stratford-on-Avon District Council – which had the highest household recycling rate in England last year at almost 64 per cent – is testament to this.
With pEPR, DRS, ETS and landfill reforms landing over the next few years, these partnerships between local authorities and the waste industry will be critical to delivering on the intended outcomes of each of these policy measures and, ultimately, the reduction of residual waste.
Perhaps most encouraging of all is what these figures say about public engagement. The fall in residual waste reflects millions of everyday decisions by householders and businesses to recycle more and waste less. Clearer services and messaging have helped, but so too has a growing awareness that waste is a resource worth managing properly.
It’s great to see manufacturers on board too, designing more of their products and packaging for recyclability, ensuring more material can be captured and reprocessed.
There is still a considerable gap to close if England is to meet the 2030 residual waste ambition to not exceed 437kg per person. Sustained progress will depend on continued policy clarity, investment and collaboration across the system. But this latest data sends a clear signal: when complexity is reduced and roles are aligned, residual waste comes down.
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