Regional Recycling Activity

Waste facts

The region generates more than 11 million tonnes of waste a year (Source: work undertaken for WRAP by Esys, 2006) of which nearly three million tonnes is commercial and industrial waste.

The majority of municipal waste is still being sent to landfill but capacity in the region for non-hazardous waste is declining rapidly.

The Regional Assembly has published targets to increase recycling or recovery of different kinds of waste. Their draft Regional Waste Strategy holds a number of future actions one of which is “the promotion and development of new markets for recycled products both in the region and elsewhere”.

Recycling

There is significant regional variation in domestic recycling levels by local authorities, ranging from 11.4% to 35.7% with a average of 27% (Source: Defra recycling rates for English LA’s 2006). These rates are likely to increase, particularly for plastic and glass.

About half of the region’s construction and demolition waste is estimated to be recycled as aggregate and soil. Just over a third of commercial and industrial waste is recycled but there is scope to divert more of this from landfill.

Regional market development

One NorthEast (ONE) is working closely with WRAP to develop regional recycling markets. Following the production of a regional market development plan ONE are currently developing a model for business support to enable the growth and development of the recycling and reprocessing sector. In achieving this additional benefits will include:

• a more self-sufficient waste management infrastructure;
• the value of material currently being exported from the region is maximised; and
• an increase in the tonnage of waste being diverted from landfill.

There are some areas which will merit specific support in the North East. End markets for wood, for example, are well established and growing. However the recovery of wood from the waste stream is low. WRAP has commissioned work which will:

• investigate the market opportunities within the supply chain for wood recycling;
• assess the business case for realising additional recycling opportunities; and 
• investigate the barriers to expansion.