More waste is being recycled in Bedford

However, a group representing local councils warned they will need more time and money to adapt to new recycling rules set to begin next year.

Latest figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs show 85,428 tonnes of waste were collected by Bedford in the year to March 2024.

This includes waste collected directly from households, as well as street bins, street sweepings, and waste from council parks and grounds.

Of the 75,976 tonnes of household waste collected, 28,841 were sent for recycling, composting or reuse, meaning the area had a recycling rate of 38%.

This was slightly higher than the year before, when the rate stood at 36%.

Across England, the recycling rate for waste from households was 44% in 2023, up from 43% in 2022, while the total amount of waste handled by local authorities increased by 2% to 25.1 million tonnes.

The amount of this sent to landfill (1.4 million tonnes) decreased by 22% on the previous year and accounted for 6% of all local authority waste.

However, an extra half a million tonnes was sent for incineration.

From the end of March, businesses have been required to separate paper and card from other recyclable materials, with these new rules set to apply to household waste from next April.

Cllr Adam Hug, environment spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: "Public satisfaction with local waste services remains very high, which councils have worked hard to achieve. What works in urban centres is different to rural communities.

"However, the separate collection of paper and card will require additional resources and time for implementation from April 2026.

"It’s also very important different councils have local flexibility where the additional bin is not practical, for instance due to inadequate space."

The Government has said it remains committed to achieving a "zero-waste economy" and wants to increase investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs.

It also intends to launch a Deposit Return Scheme for single-use drinks containers in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in October 2027.

In Bedford, each household generated an average of 590.5 tonnes of waste over 12 months, slightly more than the 580.8 tonnes generated in the previous year.

The figures also show 2,700 tonnes which were sent to be recycled in the area, were ultimately rejected.

Waste Minister Mary Creagh said: "More recycling will end the avalanche of rubbish plaguing our streets and reduce the pollution poisoning our rivers and seas.

"But this small increase should not distract from the fact that household recycling rates have stalled - and for years have failed to show significant improvement.

"We are taking bold action to reset this. Through our packaging reforms we will streamline recycling and stimulate more than £10 billion of investment in recycling capability over the next decade – jumpstarting our recycling rates and moving us closer to a more circular economy."

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