Recycling cheaper than landfill

Recycling waste is becoming much cheaper than sending it to landfill, according to new figures from WRAP.

The charges to send a tonne of waste to materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and anaerobic digestion (AD) plants are lower than at any other time and are cheaper than other waste disposal options, particularly landfill.

Feedback from councils and WRF operators reveals that a growing number of local authorities are receiving payment, or being charged no gate fees, for recovered materials while the costs of sending waste to landfill has increased over the last 12 months.

“We have seen a substantial decrease in MRF gate fees since the previous report, with some local authorities telling us that they are now receiving revenues of up to £15 to £20 per tonne for their recovered materials, rather than being charged gate fees,” confirmed Marcus Gover, director of Closed Loop Economy programme for WRAP.

WRAP reports that median gate fees for AD facilities have dropped by around £13 per tonne since the last report and predicts that these fees are likely continue to fall.

“The report reveals there are cost-effective waste management options other than landfill which also deliver greater environmental benefits,” concluded Glover.