Regional waste recycling rates England 2010-2021

The region of England with the highest recycling rate of local authority collected household waste for the year ended March 2021 was the South West, at 48.7 percent. Recycling rates across all regions dropped that year due to the impacts of COVID-19 on waste services. Although recycling rates have increased considerably since 2000, progress has stalled over the past decade.

Recycling rate of household waste collected by local authorities in England from financial years 2000/01 to 2020/21, by region

Characteristic	North East	North West	Yorkshire and the Humber	East Midlands	West Midlands	Eastern	London	South East	South West	England average
2020/21	33.5%	44.7%	42%	41.4%	38.8%	46.2%	33%	46.1%	48.7%	42.3%
2019/20	35.5%	45.6%	44.2%	44.2%	40.2%	48.6%	33.5%	47.6%	49.5%	43.8%
2018/19	35.1%	45.3%	42.9%	43.6%	39.9%	48.5%	33.4%	47.2%	50.1%	43.5%
2017/18	34.5%	44.7%	42.4%	44%	39.9%	49%	33.1%	46.7%	49%	43.2%
2016/17	35.7%	45.9%	42.9%	45.9%	41.3%	49.4%	33%	46.2%	48.3%	43.7%
2015/16	35.7%	46.1%	42.2%	44.7%	41.1%	49.2%	32%	44.5%	47.6%	43%
2014/15	38%	46.5%	43.6%	45.2%	42.2%	49.3%	33.1%	45%	47.6%	43.7%
2013/14	37.9%	45.6%	43.9%	46.4%	42.2%	49.3%	33.9%	43.7%	46.7%	43.5%
2012/13	37%	43.9%	43.3%	46.8%	43.5%	48.5%	34%	43.4%	47.2%	43.2%
2011/12	37.9%	42.6%	41.9%	46.8%	42.8%	49.7%	33.9%	43.3%	47.2%	43%
2010/11	36.1%	39.8%	39.5%	46.2%	42.4%	48.9%	32.4%	41.3%	46.6%	41.5%
2009/10	34.7%	38.5%	36.8%	45.6%	40%	46.1%	31.8%	40%	43.5%	39.7%
2008/09	31.1%	36.6%	33.8%	44.4%	36.6%	44.5%	29.2%	38.4%	42.3%	37.6%
2007/08	28.4%	33.4%	30.5%	41.9%	33%	41.2%	25.5%	36%	40.3%	34.5%
2006/07	26.4%	28.9%	26.9%	35.6%	28.6%	38.3%	22.9%	33.1%	37.2%	30.9%
2005/06	21.1%	23.8%	21.8%	31.8%	25.1%	34.1%	20.7%	29.2%	31.4%	26.7%
2004/05	15.4%	19.2%	18.6%	26.3%	19.9%	29.8%	17.6%	26.1%	26.6%	22.5%
2003/04	12.2%	14.2%	14.5%	19.3%	15.7%	23.4%	13.3%	22.8%	21.4%	17.8%
2002/03	6.6%	11.3%	11.2%	15.1%	13%	19.4%	10.9%	19.6%	18.6%	14.5%
2001/02	5.2%	9.2%	8.9%	13.7%	10.2%	17.4%	9.3%	17.7%	16.6%	12.5%
2000/01	4.1%	7.5%	7.3%	13.1%	9.1%	15.2%	9%	16.4%	14.9%	11.2%