Key Metrics

Key Metrics are used to give an indicator of how an authority is performing.

English Metrics

The table is based on data entered by Local Authorities onto WasteDataFlow for each quarterly return. WasteDataFlow is a web-based system for quarterly reporting on Local Authority Collected Waste data by Local Authorities to central government. It was also used by the Environment Agency for monitoring biodegradable waste sent to landfill under the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.

Regular household collection means wastes within Schedule 1 of the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992. Small amounts of commercial and industrial wastes may also be included in the case of collections that include mixed domestic and commercial hereditaments. Wherever possible, these wastes are included in ‘Non-household sources’. Regular household collection tonnages also include household material which was collected for recycling or composting but rejected as not suitable for recycling, either at collection, during sorting at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) or at the gate of the reprocessor.

'Other household sources' refers to Schedule 2 wastes under the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 ~ those from household sources not collected as part of the ordinary waste collection round service.

'Civic Amenity Sites' refers to household waste collected at sites provided by local authorities for the disposal of excess household and garden waste free of charge, as required by the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978.

Household recycling' contains materials sent for recycling, composting or reuse by local authorities as well as those collected from household sources by 'private- voluntary' organisations.

'Non household sources (excl. recycling)' includes any wastes collected by a local authority from non-household sources (i.e. not covered by 'Schedules 1 and 2 of the controlled Waste Regulations 1992). It includes non-household material which was collected for recycling but actually rejected at collection or at the gate of a recycling reprocessor.

'Non household recycling’ includes municipally collected materials for recycling from commercial sources. It excludes material which was collected for recycling from non-household sources but actually rejected at collection or at the gate of a recycling reprocessor. Figures for Waste Disposal Authorities include all waste collected for recycling or disposal by the WDA and their constituent waste collection authorities. A total for England cannot be obtained by summing data from all local authorities - data for Waste Collection Authorities must be excluded to avoid double counting.

Landfill estimates include recycling, composting or reuse rejects. Incineration with EfW: EfW is energy from waste. Also included are amounts rejected for recycling, composting or reuse where incineration with EfW is reported as the final destination of these rejects. RDF is refuse derived fuel. Recycled-composted' includes household and non-household sources sent for recycling or for centralised composting; home composting estimates are not included in this total. It also includes small amounts of materials sent for reuse. Material which was collected for recycling but actually rejected at collection, by the MRF or at the gate of a recycling reprocessor is excluded. Other' includes waste treated-disposed through other unspecified treatment processes as well as process and moisture loss.

Total Local Authority collected waste managed in Table 2 may not match the total Local Authority collected waste collected as reported in Table 1 due to stockpiling of waste between reporting periods. Totals in Table 1 are based on collected Local Authority collected waste. Totals in Table 2 are based on Local Authority collected waste that is disposed or sent for recycling-composting.

The National Indicator set for local authorities was discontinued in 2012, and the performance framework they were intended to monitor does not exist any more. They are included here due to user demand.