SEPA releases statistics on Scottish household waste for 2019

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has published statistics providing details of household waste collected across all Scottish local authorities during 2019. Findings include: 

• The total amount of household waste generated in Scotland was 2.4 million tonnes in 2019, an increase of 17,000 tonnes (1%) from 2018. 
• In 2019, the Scottish household waste recycling rate was 44.9%, a slight increase from the 44.7% rate achieved in 2018. The amount of household waste recycled between 2018 and 2019 increased by 12,000 tonnes to 1.1 million tonnes.  
• The amount of Scottish household waste landfilled in 2019 was 0.76 million tonnes, a reduction of 273,000 tonnes (26%) from 2018, and a reduction of 696,000 tonnes (48%) since 2011. This is the eighth consecutive decrease in household waste landfilled, and the first time that the amount of household waste landfilled was less than one million tonnes. 
• For 2019, the total amount of Scottish household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 577,000 tonnes, an increase of 278,000 tonnes (93%) from 2018. Most of the diverted waste in 2019 was managed by incineration (79%).

Source: SEPA, 27 October 2020