What Happens to My Green Recycling Bin Waste ?

Introduction

We’re all familiar with the green recycling bins that appear every week on our streets in Charnwood….and the problem of how to remember when to put ours out for our own fortnightly collection. 

But how much do we really know about what happens to the contents after it disappears into the maw of the collection lorry ?

There has been (and still is !) a lot of confusion about this. Social media abound with rumours that most of it just goes to landfill anyway, so that some consumers doubt whether it’s worth the effort of segregating their general waste at all. In truth, the extent of recycling, and where the material ends up is indeed very variable across the UK, but we as consumers and waste generators can play an active role in improving this. Read on to find out how and why…

Where are we Now ?

The UK has made good progress in waste recycling in recent years, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. Here's a breakdown of the situation with links to some recent historical data for those who want to dig a bit deeper:

·         The overall UK recycling rate (including metal sent to incinerators) reached 44.6% in 2021 (GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data/uk-statistics-on-waste).

·         Household waste recycling varies across the UK home nations:

• o    England: 43.4% (2022) (GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results-202223)

• o    Wales: 56.7% (2021), highest in the UK (Statista: https://www.statista.com/topics/4908/household-waste-in-england/)

• o    Scotland: 41.7% (2021) (GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data/uk-statistics-on-waste)

• o    Northern Ireland: 48.4% (2021) (GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data/uk-statistics-on-waste)

What are the challenges going forward ?

The overall picture that emerges from the statistics is certainly not one we can be complacent about, given the importance of the drive towards net zero in 2050 and the mounting pressure on our existing landfill resources.

After a promising start when consumers were ‘fired up’ on the need for recycling, interest has waned in the face of the many other problems competing for our attention. Here are a few of the most urgent challenges:

·         

• We have stagnant or declining recycling rates. The reasons for this aren’t entirely clear, but the aftermath of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and Local Authority (LA) funding issues are all prime suspects.

• Recycling progress has stalled in recent years in all 4 home nations and we need to find a way to reverse this trend.

• Inconsistent recycling practices: Confusion about what can and can’t be recycled across different regions hinders progress. I’ll discuss this in more detail later.

•  Plastic waste: While the UK recycles 59% of plastic bottles, overall plastic recycling remains low at 37%. Amongst other measures, a pay-back Scandinavian-style plastic bottle recycling scheme really is a must for the UK – and soon.

·         One obvious way in which we could all reduce the amount of waste we actually generate is to avoid single-use plastics. Single-use plastic shopping bags have already been effectively banned in UK, and food manufacturers in particular are on notice that their food packaging must minimise single use wrappings as far as possible in future. Since the current marketing model, and much of the packaging machinery, is based on single use wrappings, this transition will take time…and money.

What Has the Government Done so Far ? - Initiatives and Goals:

·         The UK government has set ambitious recycling targets: 55% of municipal waste by end 2025 and 65% by 2035 (Statista: https://www.statista.com/topics/4908/household-waste-in-england/). The new government has not so far modified these.  Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) are ‘planned’ for 2025 to boost plastic bottle collection. (To be realistic, though, these schemes have been ‘just around the corner’ several times already, and a degree of scepticism about dates is reasonable, given our current position in the election cycle.)

·         Encouraging a more circular economy where materials are reused and recycled effectively. Again, this is a laudable aim, but actually achieving it in practice is likely to be difficult. It will require a hard look at how we operate as a society, particularly when it comes to marketing policies of our manufacturers and retailers that are based on planned obsolescence.

     What Else is Needed ?

First and foremost, we need clear info on what we as consumers need to do to help maximise the re-use of our waste and avoid as much as possible of it going to landfill or incineration. This is particularly true of plastic waste, which as we’ll see later has health implications from microplastics entering the food chain.

The UK currently has a mixed picture on waste recycling. The current funding crisis being experienced by most Local Authorities (LAs) certainly is not helping. While some regions do perform well, overall rates need improvement.

It is this variability in the extent and methods of waste recycling between LAs that is the main source of confusion for consumers, and no amount of Government initiatives will solve this until recycling policies become more standardised.

In the meantime, LAs need to clarify exactly what we should and shouldn’t put in our recycling bins, and be up-front with us about what really happens to it. This is the only way to maximise universal ‘buy-in’ by consumers to the recycling process. Rumours that spread periodically on social media about green bin waste being simply sent to landfill or incineration, instead of being recycled, will only disappear if consumers see hard evidence that their recycling efforts are worthwhile. 

Whether our LAs have the resources to do this now or in the future is of course likely to depend on how the government of the day apportions LA grant funding.

To put some ‘flesh on the bones’, let’s take a closer look at what actually happens to recycling waste after a typical weekly or fortnightly collection.

What Happens to my Recycling Waste ?: Collection and Sorting

Collection at kerbside

Recycling collection services vary across the country. The factors that influence these services include whether the area is urban or rural, the different types of housing and the facilities available to the LA to process your recycling.

Broadly there are three types of scheme: 

• 'Kerbside sort' schemes where recyclables are sorted into their respective materials on the lorry at the kerbside; consumers are asked to pre-sort their recyclables into different containers which are normally provided by the LA for the purpose.

• 'Two-stream' collections where pre-sorted paper and card is collected in one compartment and the containers (cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles and jars) are collected in another compartment; and

• 'Co-mingled' collections where all your recyclables are put into one compartment on the lorry before being taken to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and sorted there. (This is the type offered in Charnwood, using the green wheelie bins; neighbouring NW Leics. by contrast still uses a multi-container approach).

Processing at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)

At the MRF, all the mixed recycling is sorted and separated into different types of materials by hand or machine (or both) before being sent to manufacturers, who process it to make it suitable for generating new products.

Once materials have been sorted at an MRF, they become valuable commodities in the worldwide market and can be used to generate income for the recyclers. This is an important element in the process and effectively makes it commercially viable.

The sorting process at the MRF:

•  Sorting begins with the removal of any non-recyclable items.

• A vibration-based separator segregates cardboard from paper waste– the paper is then sorted by hand into different types and then baled.

• The remaining recyclables continue onto another conveyor where steel cans are removed using magnets.

•  Different types of plastic in the stream are identified and separated robotically using optical scanners which can discriminate between them spectroscopically.

•  A special type of magnetic process using eddy currents is used to extract aluminium cans

• Glass is the last remaining material in the waste stream and this drops off the end of the conveyor into a large container 

• Once separated, the different waste ‘fractions’ are sent for reprocessing at specialist factories.

Problems caused by contamination

The biggest problem facing any recycling facility is contamination – i.e. when incorrect or contaminated items are put in the recycling container. These items must be removed from the waste stream by hand; otherwise the quality of the recycling will be reduced – this would in turn affect the value of the waste and the markets into which it can be sold. Contaminated items not only slow down the separation process, but if these items are missed, they can clog up or even damage the machinery and other processing equipment.

The materials collected for recycling vary from area to area; so although an item’s packaging  may state that it is recyclable, only put it out for recycling collection if your local authority has confirmed that they can accept it. If in doubt, put it in the general waste, or if it is a bulky item, arrange a special collection with your LA.

Contamination is likely to cause the most problems for co-mingled waste collection schemes, since there simply isn’t time for operatives to check the contents of each bin manually before loading it. In a worst case scenario, a single severely contaminated bin could cause the whole lorry load to be rejected. The consumer in an area using co-mingled collections therefore has a greater responsibility than usual to ensure that nothing they dispose of is likely to cause this. 

For Charnwood consumers, details of recyclable waste items can be found by following the link provided.

For all other areas, use the Recycle Now LA Search engine.

 Let’s take a more detailed  look at how the different components our waste streams are recycled in practice:

What Happens to my Recycling Waste ?: Onward Processing

There are broadly 3 categories of recyclable waste material that can usefully be processed, sold on, and then used to make other items: Plastic, Glass and Paper.

Plastic

Plastic is one of the most popular and useful materials of modern times, but it consumes large amounts of energy and oil-derived chemical feed-stocks in its production. It’s therefore important that we maximise the lifespan of freshly manufactured plastics as much as possible. Worldwide we produce 300 million tonnes of new plastic each year and most people are already re-using and recycling their plastics.

Why is it important to recycle plastic?

Plastic is a popular and highly versatile material, and we use an awful lot of it. Re-using and recycling items as many times as possible will reduce our need to create new plastic. This means we can:

• conserve the non-renewable fossil fuels (oil and gas) required for production.

•  reduce the consumption of energy that would otherwise be used in the production of new plastic

• reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfill

• reduce the emission of gases like carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. These are generated both during the production process and when plastics are disposed of by incineration.

·         Reduce general contamination by micro-plastics. This is now of particular concern; these tiny fragments arise from breakdown of the plastic waste that has found its way into our oceans over the years. Microplastics have been found across the globe and are widely distributed throughout the food chain. We do not yet know the full extent to which they may be harmful to our environment, but their widespread occurrence may also have implications for our own health. Recent studies have shown a significant increase in the risk of circulatory disease leading to stroke and heart attacks correlated with higher levels of microplastics in the bloodstream.

How is plastic recycled?

Plastics are sorted by polymer type, then shredded, washed, melted, pelletised or flaked, and can then made into new products.

The sorting process is mainly performed automatically but usually includes an initial  manual sort to ensure all contaminants have been removed.

Once sorted and cleaned, plastic can either be shredded into flakes or melt processed to form pellets before finally being moulded into new products.

One problem our UK recyclers face is the multiplicity of different types of plastic in use. 

Whilst we have been able to recycle some of these different types effectively in the UK for some time, a major investment program in the technology required to expand the scope of plastic materials is already underway, and the range of plastic items we can re-process is expected to increase. Whilst more and more plastics are becoming recyclable, there are some types that must still go to landfill or incineration within UK or may need to be transported abroad for recycling.

Glass

Domestic waste glass is relatively easy to recycle. The UK currently recycles around 71% of container glass, like bottles and jars. The glass sector is working towards a 90% collection rate for glass by 2030.

Why is it important to recycle glass?

Glass is 100% recyclable and unlike some materials can be endlessly recycled with no loss of quality. New glass is made from four main ingredients: sand, soda ash, limestone and other additives for colour or special treatments. All these raw materials have to be quarried, using up natural resources. Additional energy from the power grid is used in significant quantities for extraction and processing.

Therefore by simply recycling our glass we can reduce non-renewable fossil fuel usage and reduce CO2 emissions from raw materials such as limestone.

Each metric tonne of recycled glass added to the furnace saves 1.2 tonnes of raw materials. Each time one tonne of glass is recycled, about 580kg CO2 is saved throughout the supply chain, air pollution from the manufacturing  process is reduced by 20% and water pollution is cut by 50%

How is glass recycled?

Once glass is collected and taken to be reprocessed, it is first mechanically colour sorted, if required for the intended use. It is then crushed and contaminants are removed. The decontaminated raw material is then:

•  mixed with other materials to colour and/or enhance properties of the final product as necessary

• melted in a furnace

• moulded or blown into new products.

How is the recycled glass used?

Recycled glass can be used to make a wide range of everyday products:

•  new bottles and jars

• glass wool insulation for homes – these serve an additional ‘climate friendly’ purpose in helping with energy efficiency in our homes and businesses

• water filtration media.

How Should I recycle my glass containers ?

Most local authorities accept glass bottles and jars in their household collections. They can also be dropped off at bottle banks in areas where these are still provided.

Most people do already recycle their glass containers - there is still more we can all do, though – if you have any clear glass jars lurking in your cupboards, why not recycle them now and give yourself a bit more storage space.?

Paper

As a nation we get through 12 million tonnes of paper each year and the average family in the UK throws away six ‘trees-worth’ of paper every year. Most people recycle their paper and cardboard helping to save natural resources and reduce energy consumption.

Why is it important to recycle paper?

Recycling reduces energy use and diverts from landfill where harmful greenhouse gases are released. Recycling paper also reduces CO2 emissions by 20% in comparison with incineration.

How is paper recycled?

Paper mills manufacture a variety of paper-based products.

The paper and card collected from your home is first separated into different types and grades. It is then pulped with water and chemicals to separate the fibres and screened to remove inks, plastic film, paper clips, staples and glue.

After cleaning, colouring agents may be added before a mixture of 1% pulp and 99% fibre is sprayed on to a fast-moving mesh which forms the sheet and removes the water. The sheet is pressed to remove water and then rolled and heated to achieve the correct moisture content and thickness.

The recycled paper is wound on to huge rolls before being cut and dispatched to make new products including cardboard, newsprints and office paper. It may also be used to produce items such as labels, bags and gift cards.

Which paper items can be recycled?

Although the list does vary from LA to LA, the following is a useful general guide to what you can and can’t include in your recycling bin. You can normally recycle:

• Clean white paper - paper is a valuable recyclable material but only when it is clean.

• Computer paper.

• Confidential shredded paper (Top tip: place the shreddings in an used envelope keep the strands together)

• Envelopes, including those with a window.

• Magazines, brochures, leaflets, junk mail, telephone directories and catalogues.

• Newspapers and supplements.

Which paper items can't be recycled?

• Brown paper - this should be recycled with card collections -  not in general waste paper because it causes brown flecks in the recycled paper produced.

• Hygiene and sanitary products such as nappies, wipes or sanitary towels.

• Non-paper gift wrap or bags, e.g. foil-based gift wrapping

• Paper that is stained with foodstuffs, grease, paint or dirt, e.g. paintings, greaseproof or baking paper.

• Tissues or used paper towels.

• Sticky papers, e.g. Post-it notes, sticky labels or paper tape.

• Wet wipes, cotton wool or make up pads.

•  Wallpaper.

Please refer to your LA’s own recommended recycling list for specifics, using the links above.

Final Thoughts

The take-home message from this article is that we, as the generators of our waste, can do a lot to help recycle it effectively.

By sorting it according to our local LA’s guidelines, and ensuring it is clear of contaminants (including food waste), we can avoid it being diverted to landfill or incineration.

Despite messages to the contrary, it is worth the effort of sorting your waste and using your green bin - by doing so you’ll benefit the environment – you’ll also avoid over-filling your black general waste bin every fortnight !

Postscript 15/9/25: The Government has proposed introducing a fourth waste stream for Food, which will require a separate bin and weekly rather than forthnightly collections. This is due to be implemented nationwide by March 2026. See more details here.

Happy recycling….

First published 1.4.24; Revised 20.2.25