Top reuse stats celebrated as Recycling Tracker launched

Our latest recycling tracker has been published, and this year showed that we have all been reusing more. With nearly 3,500 tonnes of materials recorded as being passed on for reuse (an increase of 26% from 2,700 tonnes last year).

This trend is showing that we’re all making the most of the things we already have, by repairing or passing them on to extend their usable life.

Another positive increase from last year was an increase in food waste recycling. More than 23,000 tonnes of food waste collected and recycled in Somerset, an 8% increase on 2024-25. The impact was seen following the first 9 months of the Council’s year-long campaign to get more food waste recycled.

The amount of rubbish sent to an energy from waste facility dropped, by 1,100 tonnes. With the amount going to landfill dropping by more than 900 tonnes (2,354 to 1,425 tonnes).

Our recycling rate is 55%, and it puts us in the top 10% of unitary authorities in England.

Recycling in Somerset can become anything from cardboard boxes and plastic pipes to soil conditioner and car parts.