The recycling rate for plastics made by big UK producers has more than doubled in a decade.

Environment Department (Defra) figures released on Thursday show that 2.3 million tonnes of plastic waste was recovered in 2023, of which 1.2 million was recycled – a rate of 52.5%.

It is more than twice the 25.2% of plastic recycled in 2021, when just 644,000 tonnes was recycled out of 2.6 million tonnes.

The figures cover waste from packaging producers that handle 50 tonnes or more and have a turnover of more than £2 million a year, and so come under regulations requiring them to ensure they recycle a certain amount of what they produce.

The last decade has seen a massive rise in activism against plastic production, waste and pollution as scientists continue to uncover the material’s severe impact on human health and the environment.

Meanwhile, successive governments and private sectors have also worked to improve rates through policies as well as advances in infrastructure and technology.

The official figures also showed the overall recycling rate for packaging waste in 2023, which encompasses paper, cardboard, glass, metals and wood as well as plastic.

Last year, of the 12.7 million tonnes of packaging waste from these producers, 8.2 million was recycled – a rate of 64.8%.

This comes as an increase from 62.4% in 2022 and marks a consistent upward trend since 2014 when comparable data began.

General view of a bottle bank overflowing at a recycling area in Brentford, London.
A bottle at a recycling area in Brentford, London (Victoria Jones/PA)

However, Defra figures also show that the UK’s recycling rate from households has dropped to the lowest level since comparable data began in 2015.

In 2022, the UK produced 25.7 million tonnes of household waste, which includes regular household collections, civic amenity sites, bulky items and other household waste.

Of this, 11.3 million tonnes – 44.1% – were recycled, marking a decrease from 44.6% in 2021.

The decrease was driven by England, which saw its recycling rate drop from 44.1% in 2021 to 43.3% in 2022.

On the other hand, all the UK nations saw their rates increase that year – to 49.2% in Northern Ireland, 42.1% in Scotland and 56.9% in Wales.

The recycling rate data changed in 2015 to include incinerator bottom ash metal – recycled material created from minerals recovered in the ash of incinerated waste.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “It is deeply disappointing to see recycling rates have fallen, and to see the build up of litter and fly-tipping in our cities, towns and villages.

“The new Government will move towards a zero waste economy to increase recycling rates, draw in billions from private sector investment and create thousands of green jobs.”

England also remains responsible for the vast majority of UK waste from households, generating 21.5 million tonnes in 2022 – 84% of the country’s total.

Overall, the UK generated 191.2 million tonnes of total waste in 2020, with England responsible for 85% (162.8 million tonnes) of the UK total.

Construction, demolition and excavation waste generated around three-fifths (61%) of total UK waste in 2020, the latest year available for UK-wide figures.

This was followed by commercial and industrial waste at 21%, then households at 14% and other activities at 4%.

Defra stressed that the reporting period for some of these statistics coincides with the Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdowns.

Rudy Schulkind, political campaigner at Greenpeace UK said: “These statistics are yet another example of the broken waste management system left over by the last government.

“These statistics should be a wake up call for the new Government.

“We need a bold new approach which focuses on reducing the amount of waste we produce in the first place.

“This November, the final round of negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty offers a last chance saloon to tackle plastic pollution.

“We need a strong, legally binding global target to cut plastic production.”