Waste from Households

Waste from Households (WfH) is the measure introduced by the UK in 2014 to provide a harmonised UK indicator for reporting recycling rates at a UK level.

It excludes local authority collected waste (LACW) not considered to have come directly from households, such as street bins, street sweepings, parks and grounds waste, and compost-like output[1] (see also Key Waste Descriptions).

Image

Tonnage Arisings for Waste from Households - UK and Country Split

Notes

  • The total Waste from Households in 2023 for the UK was 25.9 million tonnes (an increase of 1.2% on 2022)[1]

  • England accounted for 21.7 million tonnes (84% of the total)

  • DEFRA have reported data for 2024 for England at 21.9 million tonnes[2] an increase of around 1%

Recycling Performance Waste from Households - UK and Country Split (excl. IBAm)

The addtion of IBAm to the figures adds around a further 0.9% to recycling rates[1].

Notes

  • The graph is for performance excluding incinerator bottom ash metal (IBAm) which was added to the data reporting from 2016 and for Northern Ireland from 2023[1]

  • The UK recycling rate for 2023, including IBAm, was 44.6% (43.7% without as shown in the graph)

  • Figures for 2023 are provisional in the data

  • England accounts for around 84% of the tonnage, and so heavily influences overall recycling rates

References:

  1. UK Statistics on Waste
  2. Local authority collected waste management – annual results 2024/25 (.gov website Mar 2026)