Surrey takes 3rd place in the nation’s recycling league table

A brand new report has revealed that Surrey residents are among England’s top performers when it comes to recycling. And we are urging residents to keep up the good work and help the county stay at the top!

Recycling in Surrey 2021-22 has been published by SEP and shows that 54.4% of Surrey’s waste is recycled, composted or reused; the 3rd highest of 29 comparable local authorities in England. There’s further good news when it comes to where Surrey’s waste goes to be treated; only 10.3% of it is exported with the rest staying in the country.

The new report analyses the latest available figures (from 2021-22) and compiles data from all SEP’s partners, the 11 district and borough councils, which collect residents’ waste, and Surrey County Council, which runs the county’s community recycling centres and is responsible for waste disposal.

SEP Chair, Cllr Marisa Heath, said:

“The report is great news as the more waste that is recycled, the better it is for the environment because it means new resources don’t have to be used to create new products. Instead, they can be made from recycled waste, e.g., recycled glass gets turned into new glass and recycled plastic can be turned into new plastic containers.

It also costs less money for councils to recycle waste than it does to dispose of it, which means that recycling saves money for councils that can be used to spend on essential services.

The more waste that stays in the country, the better it is for the environment too, as less fuel is used to transport it. And with most of Surrey’s unrecyclable waste turned into electricity, the county is using the best-known option for the environment when it comes to residents’ rubbish.”

With Surrey performing highly, SEP is urging residents to go even higher! There are some simple ways residents can help their county to the top of the table:

  • Recycle all of your food waste. Every area of Surrey provides free food waste collection. Contact your local council for details.
  • Refresh your knowledge of what can and can’t be recycled and check if you’re not sure. Get help by using the Surrey Recycles search tool or playing our online waste game.
  • Don’t put garden waste, small electricals or textiles in your rubbish bin. They can all be recycled. Use the Surrey Recycles search tool to find out how to recycle them where you live.
  • Place items into your recycling bin loose and with no food or drink in or on them.
  • Check if your local supermarket recycles soft plastics. Use a bag to collect them up and the next time you go shopping, take it with you.

 

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