Biffa municipal contracts named as some of the best recyclers in England
Two of Biffa’s municipal contracts have today been named among the top three best recyclers in England in 2023-24.
As reported in the latest local authority league table, South Oxfordshire had the highest recycling rate in England at 62.9%, with Stratford-on-Avon District Council placing third at 61%, with both topping the South East and West Midlands regions respectively. Rutland County Council had the highest recycling rate in the East Midlands region at 55.7% - a significant improvement from the previous year’s rate of 50.9%.
The 2023-24 figures from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) were unveiled as the countdown continues to the launch of Simpler Recycling for households in England on 31 March next year.
The legislation – which comes into force for businesses in England at the end of this month – aims to simplify recycling by providing standardised recycling and food waste collections. A recent Biffa poll of 2,000 adults found four in 10 are still baffled when it comes to recycling, with many recyclable items ending up in general waste rather than the recycling bin.
Recycling is an important tool in the fight against climate change as it produces fewer emissions than landfill disposal or energy recovery, while preserving natural resources.
“As the UK leader in sustainable waste management, our partnerships with local authorities across England and beyond are a shining example of our work to drive positive change, helping people waste less and recycle more, with all the environmental and economic benefits that brings.
It’s wonderful to see so many residents sharing this vision of a sustainable future, and with the introduction of Simpler Recycling for households in just 12 months’ time, we’re confident we’ll see even more progress in this area in the years to come.”
The joint South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse residential waste collection contract is one of Biffa’s most successful, with the two districts near the top of the English recycling tables for more than 10 years. Last year the shared contract was extended for a further two years to June 2026.
Over the last five years, South Oxfordshire, which covers Didcot, Henley, Thame and Wallingford, had an average household recycling rate of 63%, while Vale of White Horse, which covers Abingdon, Faringdon, Wantage and parts of Oxford, had an average household recycling rate of 61.9%.
The official England waste from households recycling rate was 44.0 per cent in 2023, up 0.6 percentage points from 43.4 per cent in 2022.
