The UK's recycling rate for waste from households has fallen to 44.1 per cent in 2022, down from 44.6 per cent in 2021, according to the latest statistics released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). This decline is primarily driven by England's poor performance, where the recycling rate dropped to 43.4 per cent, its lowest level in 11 years.

Mary Creagh, Defra's Minister for Nature, expressed her disappointment with the figures: "It is deeply disappointing to see recycling rates have fallen, and to see the buildup of litter and fly-tipping in our cities, towns and villages."

The statistics reveal significant variations across the UK nations. While England's performance declined, other nations saw improvements. Wales continues to lead with a recycling rate of 56.9 per cent, up from 56.7 per cent in 2021. Northern Ireland improved to 49.2 per cent from 48.4 per cent, and Scotland increased to 42.1 per cent from 41.7 per cent in the previous year.

Recycling Rates in UK Nations (2018-2022)

The graph clearly illustrates the diverging trends across the UK, with Wales consistently outperforming other nations and England showing a ‘disappointing’ downward trajectory.

Packaging waste recycling shows improvement

Despite the fall in overall household recycling figures, there continues to be progress with packaging waste. In 2023, 64.8 per cent of UK packaging waste was recycled, an increase from 62.4 per cent in 2022. Notable improvements were seen across various materials. Paper and cardboard recycling increased to 73.4 per cent from 68.9 per cent, while metal recycling rose to 71.2 per cent from 65.8 per cent. Glass recycling saw a slight decrease to 67.8 per cent from 69.8 per cent, and plastic recycling improved marginally to 52.5 per cent from 51.4 per cent in the previous year.

These figures suggest that targeted initiatives in the packaging sector may be yielding results, even as overall household recycling rates decline.

Factors influencing the waste statistics

Several factors may be contributing to the fall in household recycling rates, particularly in England. The post-pandemic shift in work patterns has likely played a role. As more people returned to workplaces, the volume and composition of household waste changed.

Environmental conditions have also had an impact. England experienced unusually dry weather in 2022, which is believed to have reduced plant growth. This, in turn, led to a decrease in organic waste available for recycling, contributing to the overall decline in recycling rates.

Systemic issues within the recycling infrastructure remain the underlying concern. Advocates of Simpler Recycling may point to a lack of a standardised approach to recycling across local authorities continues to be a challenge, but this was the case in previous years which achieved higher rates. However, Wales, the highest performing country in the UK has seen the Welsh Government work with its local authorities to implement the standardised approach of its Collections Blueprint, which has played a key role in its progress.

In response to these concerning figures, the government has pledged to take decisive action. In her comment on the disappointing figures for 2022, achieved under the watch of the previous Government, Creagh added: “The new government will move towards a zero-waste economy to increase recycling rates, draw in billions from private sector investment and create thousands of green jobs.