Destination Recycling
Fine out more about the facilities we use to treat your recycling and turn it into new products.
Waste Watch is a report that is published by the South London Waste Partnership on an annual basis.
Front cover of Waste Watch 2023/24
The SLWP boroughs have made good progress in recent years in reducing waste volumes, maximising recycling and reducing carbon emissions associated with recycling and waste management. A big part of this is down to the commitment and dedication of residents, who are increasingly trying to minimise the amount of waste they produce in the first place and then diligently sorting any waste they do create ready for it to be recycled.
In return for those efforts, it is of paramount importance that residents have complete trust and confidence that the recycling they sort out at home is handled with care and is actually recycled whenever possible. It is also important that residents trust that anything that cannot be recycled or has not been sorted for recycling is disposed of in the best and most environmentally sustainable way possible.
That’s why Waste Watch is so important. Published on an annual basis, it provides complete transparency on where waste comes from, where it goes and what happens to it; right down to the last tonne.
78% of residents say they would like to know more about where recycling is taken and what it turned into. Waste Watch provides the answers.
The first edition of Waste Watch covers the 2023/24 financial year (April 2023 – March 2024) and it can be downloaded below. We hope you find it informative and reassuring.
Download: Waste Watch 2023/24
Addendum Note (17 July 2025)
Following further data analysis some volumes categorised in Version 8 of Waste Watch as ‘Unknown waste’ (page 29) have been identified and assigned to more appropriate categories. This resulted in some minor changes to the data on the following pages: 4, 5, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 – as shown in this latest version of Waste Watch (version 9).
Destination Recycling
The Waste Hierarchy
Most preferred environmental option
Reducing waste is the most preferred option. Minimising the amount of waste we produce in the first place is by far the most effective way of reducing the impact we have on the environment.
When waste is created, the waste hierarchy prioritises reuse. Where possible, reusing products and materials before it becomes waste is the next best option. By cleaning, repairing and refurbishing items, we can significantly increase the number of things we reuse.
Recycling is the most environmentally sustainable solution when it comes to disposing of waste. Recycling essentially turns our waste into new items or products, reducing the amount of raw materials required.
For waste that can’t be re-used or recycled, energy recovery is the next best option. Energy from waste is the process of incinerating non-recyclable waste to produce electricity. It helps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for power generation and decreases carbon emissions.
At the bottom of the waste hierarchy is the least desirable option: disposal. This is when waste is either sent to landfill or treated in an older-style incinerator that doesn’t recover energy from the process. Disposal should always be the last resort for waste.
Least preferred environmental option
