Reduce waste and recycle more

We all have a part to play in what happens with our waste and things we don't use anymore.

There are lots of things you can do to reduce the amount of waste you have and reuse or recycle as much as you can.

After your waste is collected by your local district and borough councils or taken to one of our household waste recycling centres we then find the most sustainable solution to dispose of it.

We prioritise how we do this by what is best for the environment. We try to reduce, reuse and recycle first. We can recover energy from waste and sending waste to landfill is only done when there is no alternative. This is also known as the ‘hierarchy of waste’. We also aim to dispose of Kent's waste entirely in Kent if possible.

Reduce and reuse waste

The best way to reduce waste is to avoid it altogether. There are lots of things you can reuse instead of throwing them away, some ideas include:

  • use reusable drinks bottles and cups instead of single use plastic bottles and takeaway cups
  • make your own lunch and use beeswax wraps to use less plastic and packaging
  • donate unused or unwanted items to a charity.

There are lots more ideas to help you reduce waste and reuse things on the Recycle Now website.

Recycling

Recycling is a great way to reduce waste by using what you throw away to create new products or materials.

We process recyclable items, including plastics, glass, food and garden waste.

Find out how we recycle waste

Treating and disposing of waste

The treatment of waste includes:

  • anaerobic digestion - which converts food waste to gas for energy
  • in-vessel composting for garden waste to create a peat-free compost suitable for use in farming and agriculture
  • road sweepings are recycled and re-used mainly for aggregate in the construction industry.

Waste is only sent to landfill when there is no other alternative and the materials cannot be recycled or treated, for example asbestos and marine carcasses. Our use of landfill remains one of the lowest in England at less than 2%, the national average is 8.5%.

Our recent figures showing the amount of waste in Kent being sent to landfill are:

  • 0.22% in January 2021
  • 0.15% in December 2020
  • 0.11% in November 2020

Find out where your waste goes

We work together with other councils in Kent, known as the Kent Resource Partnership, to collect, dispose of and treat waste. We monitor and report on where waste goes and what happens to it.

Find out what happens with waste