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Waste and recycling

Local authority waste collection totals and recycling rates

Housing and land Net Zero
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Introduction

Each year, DEFRA publishes statistics on local authority collected waste generation and management in England. The published results include information about the amount of household and non-household waste collected and the methods used to manage this waste.

The published data is available for LA (local authority) areas and for the nine English ITL1 regions. LA statistics are available for each year from 2014-15 onwards, while the time series of regional statistics starts much earlier, in 2000-01. 

Totals and rates for CA (combined authority) areas are calculated from LA area statistics and, therefore, the time series only starts in 2014-15.

Total collected waste

940,000

tonnes, LA collected waste

2023-24, North East LAs.
50,000 below 2021-22 total,
but up by 16,000 in latest year.

836,000

tonnes, household waste

89% of the total.
309,000 tonnes was recycled,
89% of that was household waste.
 

27%

from County Durham

of total waste collected 2023-24.
18% from Northumberland,
15% from Newcastle,
13% from Sunderland.

-23%

20 year change in total waste collected

in the wider North East region,
2003-04 to 2023-24.
18% decrease in household waste,
48% decrease in non-household waste.

Household waste recycling

32.8%

North East household recycling rate

North East CA area, 2023-24,
% recycled or composted.
Up from 32.6% in 2022-23,
below England's rate (42.3%).

36.7%

County Durham rate

Highest rate of North East LAs.
Second: Northumberland (34.9%),
lowest: Newcastle (25.8%),
all 7 LAs with rates below England.

-2.9 pp

Five year rate change

North East CA area household rate,
percentage point change,
2018-19 to 2023-24.
England change: -1.2 pp.

+19 pp

20 year rate change

North East ITL1 region,
percentage point change,
2003-04 to 2023-24.
England change: +25 pp.

Further information

Local authority collected waste management statistics

Annual statistical release from DEFRA, covering the collection and management of waste under the possession or control of local authorities in England.

Explore the source data
Net zero evidence homepage

The evidence hub's net zero landing page. With links to data reports about greenhouse gas emissions, the low carbon economy, green jobs and other environmental topics.

Find more net zero statistics
Net Zero North East England

Website highlighting the North East's collaborative approach to tackling the climate emergency. Includes an evidence section.

Further information about net zero
Housing and land evidence homepage

The evidence hub homepage with charts and commentary on the latest data about housing and land use in the North East and related topics.

Find more housing and land statistics