What happens to recycling
Thank you for recycling! In 2021/22 we recycled, reused or composted 42.2% of Wiltshire's household waste.
Recycling collected from residents in Wiltshire is sent to processors across the UK and Europe to be turned into new products.
Of the total municipal waste collected for recycling, reuse or composting by Wiltshire Council, 94.8% was managed within the UK and not exported abroad. A further 4.9% was reprocessed within the EU - this consisted of paper, cardboard, plastics and household batteries. The remaining 0.4 % was exported outside of the EU - this was textiles which were reused.
The end destination register is available online or a full copy can be requested by emailing the Waste team at wasteandrecycling@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Wiltshire Council supports the Resource Association's End Destinations Recycling Charter. This voluntary code encourages all local authorities to be open about where the waste they collect for recycling goes.
Our end destination register contains information showing where all of the waste and recycling from residents in Wiltshire went last year. Alternatively, you can request a PDF copy by emailing the Waste team at wasteandrecycling@wiltshire.gov.uk.
You can also view Recycle Now videos which show how the recycling process works and what happens next to many different materials including cans, glass and paper.
The council works hard to reduce the waste that is sent to landfill. Recycling is not the only way that we do this.
We divert 60,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste per year to Northacre Resource Recovery Centre in Westbury, Wiltshire, which converts non-recyclable waste into a fuel.
We also divert 50,000 tonnes of waste to Lakeside Energy from Waste (EfW) facility in Slough. This converts the waste into energy.
- Wiltshire's confirmed household waste recycling rate for the period 2021/22 is 42.2%. This refers to the proportion of household waste that was collected for recycling, re-use and composting.
- Wiltshire Council reports its waste and recycling performance. Our end destination register contains information showing where all of the waste and recycling from residents in Wiltshire went last year.
- Our contractor, Hills Waste Solutions, manages all of the waste and recycling collected from Wiltshire Council's residents.
- Hills regularly review and summarise this and report back annually.
- The Household Waste Management Strategy 2017-2027 was formally adopted by the Council in November 2019.
