Waste (Focus Area 2)
Virtually all items can have an impact on climate change and the environment. This could be from the materials used in items such as plastics, whether items end up in landfills or are able to be recycled or composted and how long items can be maintained to continue being useable. By buying less new items, instead opting for refurbished, second hand or recycled items we can reduce emissions from the production of new. By learning and sharing skills to repair and maintain we can level up our communities whilst reducing waste and when items are no longer useable, we can ensure we recycle as much as possible to reduce what goes to waste. By taking these steps and being conscious of the items we buy use and discard we can minimise waste in our communities.
What the Council needs to do
- Further encourage our residents to reduce, reuse and recycle and achieve a higher recycling rate
- Adapt to new regulations and support a circular economy
- Work with partners to develop and build a new state-of-the-art materials recycling facility (MRF)
What we are doing
Continuing to improve recycling rates
North Warwickshire was named as the second most improved Council with regards to recycling rates, raising recycling rates by 10.8% to a total recycling rate of 47.8%. The Council aims to continue this positive trend, and continue to increase recycling rates across the borough.
Local authority collected waste management – Provisional annual results 2023/24 - GOV.UK
Need met - Further encourage our residents to reduce, reuse and recycle and achieve a higher recycling rate
Modernising recycling
In September 2023, the Council started to deliver the bulk of its recycling materials to Sherbourne Recycling Facility. Sherbourne is the most advanced state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) of its kind in the UK. A Sherbourne residents waste is sorted with the aid of artificial intelligence (Ai) systems, to maximise the amount of waste that can be recycled.
Need met - Work with partners to develop and build a new state-of-the-art materials recycling facility (MRF)