THE total amount of rubbish generated in Scottish homes has dropped to its lowest recorded level whilst recycling rates continue to climb.
Household waste generated across Scotland has fallen by 26,000 tonnes in 2023 from the previous year, according to data published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
The report revealed that Scottish households produced 2.30 million tonnes of rubbish last year – the lowest level since records began in 2011.
This decline in waste generation coincides with a slight increase in recycling which rose to 43.5%.
The 2023 statistics show that Scotland’s total household waste produced was equivalent to 0.42 tonnes per person, of which 0.18 tonnes were recycled.
In addition to the reduced rubbish coming from Scottish homes, the total sent to landfill dropped by 30.2%, with over 70% less household waste “dumped” in 2023 compared to 2011.
This was managed through the incineration of 746,000 tonnes of rubbish, which accounts for almost 84% of waste diverted from dumping sites.
On a further positive note, Sepa reported that the carbon impact of household waste in Scotland has, for the first time, dropped below one tonne of CO2 equivalent per person.
Jo Zwitserlood, head of energy, industry and materials at Sepa, said: "Scotland has ambitions for a circular economy where more of the materials produced and consumed in Scotland are re-used, recycled and remanufactured in Scotland, creating a range of environmental, economic and societal benefits.
"We’ve all got a role to play – the consumption of products and use of materials touches on every one of us. We’re making positive steps towards lowering the carbon impact of Scotland’s household waste and seeing lower amounts of waste generated and disposed of to landfill, which is key to addressing the environmental impact of waste management.
"At Sepa we continue to play our part in helping Scotland transition to a circular economy, working collaboratively with Scottish Government, Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Councils, and Scotland’s reprocessing and waste management sector."
The CEO of Zero Waste Scotland, Iain Gulland, praised the collective efforts for sustainability of Scottish households and local authorities.
He emphasised that the climate crisis is a long-term threat to our society, and that Zero Waste Scotland recognises that Scots want to “do their bit to tackle it”.
He added: "When we all work together, we can make a real difference, so it’s extremely welcome to see the efforts of people at home reflected in Sepa’s latest data – with household waste at its lowest level in over a decade and recycling rates continuing to climb.
"Waste reduction and recycling are integral to Scotland’s circular economy vision, and the latest data shows we’re making great progress. Let’s keep that momentum going and strive towards a more sustainable future for Scotland we can all be proud of."
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