“Key points

• The UK recycling rate of ‘waste from households’ reached 43.9 per cent in 2012, rising from 42.9 per cent in 2011. There is an EU target for the UK to recycle at least 50 per cent by 2020.
• The UK Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) sent to landfill has continued to reduce and in 2012 was 10.3 million tonnes. This represents 29 per cent of the 1995 baseline value. There is an EU target to contain BMW to landfill to within 50 per cent of the 1995 baseline by 2013 and 35 per cent by 2020. The 2010 target was comfortably met.
• The recovery rate from non-hazardous construction and demolition waste in the UK in 2012 was 86.5%. There is an EU target for the UK to recover at least 70 per cent of this type of waste by 2020.
• The UK generated 200.0 million tonnes of total waste in 2012. Half of this (50%) was generated by Construction. Commercial & Industrial activities generated almost a quarter (24%), with households responsible for a further 14%.
• Almost half (50.0%) of the 186.2 million tonnes of total waste that entered final treatment in the UK in 2012 was recovered. The proportion that went to landfill was 26.1%.
• In 2012, 69.1% of UK packaging waste was either recycled or recovered. The 2012 EU target was for the UK to recycle or recover at least 60 per cent of packaging waste.”

We feel these statistics are a real step in the right direction and it shows that the UK really is driven to solve the recycling issues in the modern world, Secure Data Recycling are proud to play our part.