Waste not, want not

A report from our Environment Committee says that, while high-density housing does affect recycling performance, it does not necessarily prevent a borough from being able to recycle more waste.

The presence of lots of flats and estates is a specific challenge to improving recycling performance,typically because of alack of space for storage and difficulty transporting materials to collection points.

However, the report notes for example that in Tower Hamlets, where 84 per cent of properties are flats, 20 per cent of waste is recycled or composted - double the average for flats and estates in London.

Although the capital has improved recycling performance in recent years, most boroughs fail to meet the average rates achieved across the UK. Recycling rates also vary widely across London with some boroughs achieving rates of more than 40 per cent while others do not meet a 2007 target of 20 per cent.

The investigation also found that the effects of another factor cited as a reason for poor recycling performance – deprivation levels – may have been overstated.

The report concludes that political leadership is crucial to improving recycling rates and says residents of all types of properties can be motivated to do more if they are told about the financial savings recycling can bring.

It recommends boroughs publish data about the value of recycling annually and urges the Mayor to promote schemes that reward communities for increasing recycling.

The report also raises concerns over the governance of waste disposal, which for 21 boroughs, takes place through Joint Waste Disposal Authorities (JWDA). This system – “frozen in time” since the abolition of the GLC in 1986 – does not appear best suited to boost recycling rates, with only two of the four JWDAs believing they will meet the Government’s 50 per cent recycling target by 2020.

It currently costs £580 million per year to manage London’s waste, of which around £250 million goes in landfill costs. It has been estimated that if London recycled 60 per cent of its waste, £63 million could be saved each year.

Landfill capacity is also due to expire within London by 2021 and outside the capital, space is expected to run out by 2025.

The Committee has received a response about the report from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.