England’s residual waste fell by over 1M tonnes in 2023
Latest Defra statistics show 58.7 million tonnes of residual waste was generated in 2023, with reduction rates falling short of the trajectory needed to meet 2028 interim targets.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its latest estimates of residual and municipal waste in England, revealing modest progress that falls short of the reduction trajectory needed to meet government targets.
The statistics, released today (8 May), show England generated 58.7 million tonnes of residual waste in 2023, a 1.9 per cent decrease from 2022 (59.8 million tonnes), and a decrease of 8.9 per cent from 2019 (64.4 million tonnes).
This equates to 1,017kg per person, a reduction of 11.2 per cent from 2019 levels.
For residual waste excluding major mineral wastes (MMW) - which forms the basis of the government's long-term waste reduction target and excludes construction materials like concrete and soil - the amount stood at 32.2 million tonnes in 2023, representing a minimal decrease of just 0.4 per cent from 2019.
Municipal residual waste, which includes household waste and similar waste from businesses, didn’t show much improvement. In 2023, England generated 26.1 million tonnes, a decrease of 1 per cent from 2019.
Waste management shifts towards incineration
The statistics suggest a shift in how residual waste is being managed, with a continued movement away from landfill toward incineration. Between 2019 and 2023, the amount of municipal residual waste sent to landfill decreased by 18.8 per cent, from 9.9 million tonnes to 8.0 million tonnes.
During the same period, the amount of municipal residual waste processed through incineration (including Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities) increased by 20.9 per cent, from 13.9 million tonnes to 16.5 million tonnes.
Data from Tolvik Consulting released in April suggests that this trend will continue, with estimates of 16.82 million tonnes of waste processed by the UK EfW sector in 2024.
This shift has altered the treatment method profile, with incineration now handling 63.1 per cent of municipal residual waste in 2023, up from 51.7 per cent in 2019.
Exports of residual waste for energy recovery have also seen notable changes, decreasing by 44 per cent between 2019 and 2023.
Government waste reduction goals are ‘looking out of reach’
A concerning aspect of these statistics is the gap between the 2023 figures and England’s long-term waste reduction targets. The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, published under the previous administration, set a target to halve residual waste per person by 2042, reducing it to 287 kg per person. This is supported by interim targets set for 31 January 2028.
The current rate of progress falls short of what’s needed to achieve these targets. At 558.2 kg per person in 2023, residual waste (excluding MMW) has decreased by just 2.9 per cent from 2019 levels.
To reach the 2028 interim target of 437 kg per person, England will need to reduce this figure by an additional 21.7 per cent in four years.
| Year | Residual waste excluding MMW (kg per person) | Percentage change year-on-year | Percentage change from 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 574.8 | - | - |
| 2020 | 550.1 | -4.3% | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 576.8 | 4.9% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 558.8 | -3.1% | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 558.2 | -0.1% | -2.9% |
For municipal residual waste, the situation is similar. At 452.4 kg per person in 2023, England is off-track to meet the 2028 target of 333 kg per person - requiring a further 26.4 per cent reduction.
At the same time, England’s recycling rate is still yet to return to pre-pandemic levels and remains below the now-dropped 50 per cent target the Government set in 2020.
Commenting on the statistics, Diane Crowe, Group Sustainability Director at Reconomy, said: “Today’s data is a mixed bag - the 15.3 per cent drop in landfill waste is a step in the right direction, but the 2027 targets are increasingly looking out of reach.
“It’s clear we need to pick up the pace in embedding circular practices. Waste generation is harmful because it loses the value of resources and puts pressure on finite natural materials.”
Minimal progress made across all material streams
The material-specific waste targets present even greater challenges. The Environmental Improvement Plan targets require substantial percentage reductions per person by January 2028, including:
- 50% reduction in food waste
- 45% reduction in plastic waste
- 26% reduction in paper and card waste
- 42% reduction in metal waste
- 48% reduction in glass waste
The statistics show that all material streams stand at similar levels to 2019, with a decrease of 3.5 per cent across all categories. Food waste remains the largest component at 122.4 kg per person in 2023, almost double the 64 kg per person target.
Crowe added: “Government, industry, and consumers must work together to drive real change – making waste reduction a priority and embedding circularity into every stage of the supply chain.”
