New data shows that Surrey is a national leader for waste

A new report, the Surrey Waste Tracker, shows that Surrey is one the best performing counties in the country when it comes to waste. 

On the key aim of sending as little waste to landfill as possible, Surrey landfills only 0.2% of its total waste, putting the county in 6^th place out of 29 similar authorities in England. 

When it comes to recycling, Surrey is performing just as effectively, recycling 54.5% of its total waste, which puts the county in joint 2^nd place. The rest of Surrey’s waste is turned into energy.  

The county is also performing favourably when it comes to how much we put in our rubbish bins. Households in Surrey throw away an average of 444.8kg of rubbish, which puts us in 8^th place nationally and is significantly lower than the England average. 

The county is recording and documenting where it sends its waste. Currently, 89% of its recycling and 85% of black bag waste ends up being treated in the UK. When it has to be sent abroad, Surrey’s waste is treated properly, and is transported to reputable, licensed organisations with world-leading facilities. 

Cllr Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure, said: “It is great to see that Surrey is so effective with its waste. This is a great win for our services and our residents who are doing a fantastic job at minimising the impact of waste on our environment. I encourage residents to help keep Surrey at the top by checking what can be recycled and putting the right items in the right bins.” 

The new report, the Surrey Waste Tracker, can be viewed on the Surrey Environment Partnership website, along with tips and tools for residents to reduce waste and recycle more. 

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Notes to Editors:  

Journalists are invited to visit one of Surrey’s waste processing facilities, such as a community recycling centre or the Eco Park, where recycling is bulked, rubbish is turned to energy and food waste is turned into digestate via anaerobic digestion, to see first-hand what happens to the waste produced by Surrey residents. Please contact dutymedia@surreycc.gov.uk if interested.