2021 was full of eventful moments that we will never forget – from more covid lockdowns to a focus on the environment with the COP26 conference in Glasgow, where representatives from the world’s nations met to discuss issues such as emissions, climate change and sustainability. The U.K. as a whole were found to be increasing the amount that they recycle, but what does this really mean? Let’s take a look at recycling in 2021 to see the bigger picture.
UK Recycling Statistics 2021
Recycling is becoming more common in the U.K., with around 90% of households building it into their normal routine and local councils making this process easier than ever. Over half of us in 2021 believe that we are recycling more than we did the previous year, and the younger generation is leading the way with this, things are looking hopeful for the nation’s sustainable targets.
However, it is important to identify that there are many issues revolving around household recycling.
The U.K.‘s WRAP recycling report found that even though more people are recycling, they may not be doing it correctly, meaning that their efforts are meaningless. This is due to a number of reasons:
Over half of all households find themselves sending products to landfills that could have been recycled due to a lack of knowledge. It is estimated that this happens to over 10% of the products we dispose of. Every three out of four British people surveyed admitted to not reading recycling guidelines on individual packaging and instead simply guessing the correct recycling option, which may be wrong and lead to contamination of other products that could be recycled.
On top of this, many do not realise the extent of products that can be recycled with materials such as tinfoil being put in the household waste bin and sent to landfills when it could be recycled easily.
The UK’s Most Recycled Materials
Paper and Cardboard Recycling
An increase in online shopping due to lockdowns has seen many online businesses thrive, and this may be directly linked to the fact that paper and cardboard were the most recycled materials in the U.K. in 2021, with around 80% of all card and paper being recycled. This is partially down to the fact that most people have paper recycling bins, meaning that it couldn’t be easier to direct it from general waste sent to landfills.
Metal Recycling
Behind paper and cardboard, metal is the next most recycled product in the country, with over 2 billion aluminium cans successfully recycled. Steel and copper are also metals that are commonly reused, having been repurposed in the short time span of 6 weeks. Around 70% of metal from household waste is recycled, meaning that there is room for improvement in 2022.
Glass Recycling
Coming in at third place in 2021 is glass – with approximately 67% of it being recycled last year. This statistic may be lower than it should be due to the more complex rules around glass recycling. Some glass products can be easily recycled at home, such as glass jars and bottles, as long as they are clean and empty. Others, however, cannot be recycled, such as drinks glasses or mirrors. This is due to the fact that different types of glass have different melting points, meaning that they won’t be able to be recycled with the rest of the glass objects. Therefore, glass recycling points are being pioneered across the U.K., where people receive cash or coupons for their glass in order to promote recycling, increasing the recycling rate for glass this year.
Plastic Recycling
Plastic is, in fact, one of the products that do the most damage to the environment – taking years to break down, polluting our land and oceans, and injuring wildlife. In the U.K., 2 million tonnes of plastic are disposed of every year, but less than half of this figure is recycled – the rest heading to landfill.
One of the problems with this is that we are not set up from recycling plastic in the U.K., with the task having to go to other countries, who say they recycle but may not do this effectively. Plastic pollution has been widely discussed with the public’s knowledge of microplastics and the harm of plastic pollution to animals higher than ever before. In an effort to combat this, the government have suggested a plastic tax to companies who use plastic packaging that is not at least 30% recycled. This, over time, is thought to help businesses make more sustainable choices.
E-waste Recycling
In recent years our use of electronics has skyrocketed, and there is a large amount of waste generated as we often ditch our old products for the upgraded versions. In 2019, there were approximately 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste in the UK – and a large percentage of this could have been recycled.
Throughout the UK, there are collection points for electrical waste, meaning that we can easily recycle devices, saving them from landfills. Many of the parts can be reused and repurposed, meaning that there is less demand for newer products and the raw materials that make them. Alternatively, there are many platforms that will buy your old gadgets from you for a reasonable price (depending on their condition), even if they are no longer working. This means that your device will be reused, and you can make a little profit from doing so.
The Take Away
The amount that we are recycling has increased over recent years, with an increased focus on the environment and the benefits of recycling. When you are about to put something in your bin that will head to landfill, think to yourself – is there anything I can do with this? Whether it be taking clothes to a charity shop, reusing products in a different way, or simply popping something in one of your other bins to be recycled correctly, there are many different uses for products you don’t need anymore.
It is so important, now more than ever, that we continue our efforts to recycle – so why not make this your goal for 2022?
