Between 2008-09 and 2009-10 there was a 3 per cent decrease in local authority waste - see definition in the UK

Why is this important  – The EU Waste Framework Directive requires the UK to recycle, compost or reuse 50 per cent of waste from households by 2020. 

Local authority collected waste generation in the UK, 1996-97 to 2009-10

• In 2009-10 in the UK 32.5 million tonnes of local authority collected waste was generated, less than the amount generated in 1999-2000. Between these years the generation rose, peaking in 2004-05 at 36.1 million tonnes.  However, over this period the population of the UK has been increasing.
• The recycling, composting and reuse rate for local authority collected waste has grown from 6 per cent (1.9 million tonnes) in 1996-97 to 38 per cent (12.4 million tonnes) in 2009-10.

Data download

The key facts publication contains a downloadable version of this page
WasteDataFlow
Government policy on household waste
Household waste statistics in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland