Category Archive

Food waste AreaFood waste per household (kg) Elmbridge93 Epsom & Ewell77 Guildford86 Mole Valley83 Reigate & Banstead84 Runnymede71 Spelthorne65 Surrey Heath104 Tandridge93 Waverley83 Woking100 Back to top How much food waste was produced? 93,414 tonnes of food waste was produced in 2020-21. However, only 46.2% of it was put into food caddies to be recycled, with the rest going into… Continue Reading Food waste

Dry mixed recycling The table below shows the contents of an average dry mixed recycling bin in Surrey. Type of wasteProportion of average dry mixed recycling bin Food and drink cartons0.2% Glass29.3% Metal tins and cans4.2% Paper and card43.4% Plastics9.4% Contamination, i.e., waste that can’t be recycled13.5% *Note that Reigate and Banstead Borough Council collects paper and card separately from… Continue Reading Dry mixed recycling

Rubbish The table below shows the contents of an average household rubbish bin in Surrey. Type of wasteProportion of average household rubbish bin Non-recyclable waste, i.e., rubbish52.5% Waste that could have been recycled, made up of:47.5% Dry mixed recycling15.1% Food waste27.3% Textiles3.1% Garden waste1.2% Small electricals0.7% Back to top How much rubbish was produced? Surrey residents produced 242,368 tonnes of… Continue Reading Rubbish

Local areas in Surrey compared District or borough council areaTotal waste per household (kg)Amount of recycling produced per household (kg)Proportion of total waste that was recycled (Defra recycling rate)Total rubbish produced per household (kg)Proportion of total waste that was treated as rubbishProportion of recycling recycled in the UK Elmbridge1,031 (+11.7%)562 (+15.8%)54.5% (+1.9)469 (+6.7%)45.5% (-1.9)79.8% (-8.5) Epsom & Ewell966 (+4.4%)519 (+4.9%)53.7%… Continue Reading Local areas in Surrey compared

Where did Surrey's waste go? Type of wasteWaste treated or recycled in UKWaste treated or recycled in European Union (EU) - known locationsWaste treated or recycled in European Union (EU) - exact location unknownWaste treated or recycled outside European Union (EU) - known locationsWaste treated or recycled outside European Union (EU) - exact location unknownExact location unknown Total waste76.9%1.1%14.6%3.0% 4.2%0.2%… Continue Reading Where did Surrey’s waste go?

What happened to Surrey's waste, 2020-21 ContentsWhere did Surrey’s waste go? Local areas in Surrey compared Rubbish Dry mixed recycling Food waste Garden waste Textile and small electrical waste Conclusion Foreword Over the past few years, the environment has become increasingly important to many people. News headlines and world events have increased awareness of the impact of individual actions on… Continue Reading What happened to Surrey’s waste, 2020-21

What happened to Surrey's waste, 2020-21 Surrey’s residents have a keen interest in what happens to their waste. This report aims to be both informative and transparent about that. Below you can find an infographic that visualises what happened to Surrey's waste in 2020-21 and an interactive map showing how each area of Surrey performed. You can also download a… Continue Reading What happened to Surrey’s waste, 2020-21

Further resources for teachers The following websites may provide resources, advice and information to help schools plan activities in the classroom related to waste, recycling and the environment. Young People's Trust for the Environment - charity that provides free lesson plans on the environment and nature. Eco Schools - a simple environmental management system that empowers young people to introduce… Continue Reading Further resources for teachers

Classroom activities Below are links to download some free activities on waste and recycling that can be delivered in the classroom. The first is a Recycling Detectives activity, which contains a classroom worksheet and teacher’s guidance, that asks children to seek out items that can be recycled in the home. In addition to this activity, Wastebuster, a non-profit environmental education… Continue Reading Classroom activities