06 July 2023
Your request
I am interested in understanding how much waste is being generated and what steps are being taken to reduce it. Specifically, I would like to know:
- The total amount of domestic waste processed by your council in 2022
- The total amount of domestic waste that was recycled by your council in 2022
I understand that local councils may have different methods for measuring and reporting waste data, so any details or explanations you can provide about your reporting process would be greatly appreciated.
Our response
- 44,986.12 tonnes of domestic residual waste was collected between April 2022 to March 2023. Through a variety of communication channels Lambeth encourages sustainable waste management practices in line with the waste hierarchy, with waste avoidance being the priority. To support waste minimisation, the Authority promotes the use of real nappies and offers residents the opportunity to apply for a voucher to redeem with Real Nappies for London. Composting is also encouraged which is supported by the Authority through a subsidised compost bin arrangement for Lambeth residents. Where waste avoidance is not possible, Lambeth promotes re-use and recycling. All Households in Lambeth have the means to recycle dry, mixed recyclable items as part of the Authority’s weekly commingled collection service. Lambeth operates a subscription garden waste collection service and a food waste recycling service for all kerbside properties, which is sent for in-vessel composting. Food waste collections are also currently available for approximately 10% of estate based properties and is in the process of being phased in for the remaining high-rise households across the borough over the next couple of years. Last year a kerbside WEEE and battery collection service launched, in addition to a kerbside textiles collection service for residents registered for assisted collections. Lambeth hosts 95 bring banks across the borough for residents to deposit their textiles and WEEE. To further encourage the movement of waste up the waste hierarchy, the Authority has been reviewing waste facilities on estates with a view to aligning them with ReLondon’s ‘Flats recycling package’ which is designed to increase recycling participation.
- 23,166.27 tonnes of domestic recycling was processed between April 2022 to March 2023. Lambeth’s domestic waste tonnage is based on the data provided by the weighbridge that the waste stream is taken to. As some domestic waste and recycling is co-collected with commercial waste, a calculation is undertaken to remove this from the domestic waste apportionment. The recycling tonnage includes commingled dry mixed recycling, food waste, garden waste, textiles waste, WEEE, metals extracted from incinerator bottom ash, detritus recycled and all other items recycled through the Authority’s Re-use and Recycle Centre