Rubbish is not going to waste: Landfill levels slashed to three per cent

Over the past year, the levels of rubbish sent to landfill has been slashed from 66% in 2010 to just three percent.

The landfill landmark has been achieved by sending more of the material that can’t be recycled to an energy-from-waste treatment facility in Teesside, which opened in April 2014.

The facility forms a key part of a £250million Strategic Waste Partnership between South Tyneside, Gateshead and Sunderland councils.

Of the 77,000 tonnes of waste collected across South Tyneside, about 67,000 tonnes comes from households, with the remaining waste from other sources, including commercial services.

About 39% of this household waste is recycled, reused or composted.

Residents can recycle more of their waste by using the council’s blue bin and caddy collection service, which sees dry recyclable materials such as paper, bottles, cans and plastic packaging collected from people’s doorsteps.

The amount of waste recycled using this service has recently increased by a further three per cent.

Councillor Tracey Dixon, lead member for area management and community safety at South Tyneside Council, said: “We are delighted that the amount of waste sent to landfill has been reduced so dramatically and that we are seeing more and more recyclables collected from the doorstep across South Tyneside.

“This is a significant achievement.”