Recycling and Sustainability
Our recycling and sustainability approach is built around practical action, lower emissions, and better use of local resources. By focusing on waste separation, reuse, and responsible disposal, we help households and businesses reduce what goes to landfill and support a cleaner, more circular local economy. Our goal is to reach a 75% recycling percentage target across collected recyclable streams, while also cutting contamination so more materials can be processed efficiently. This means every load is sorted with care, every journey is planned with purpose, and every decision supports a more sustainable future.
We work closely with local transfer stations to keep recycling moving through the right channels. These facilities play an important role in consolidating mixed materials, separating recoverable items, and directing waste to specialist processors. In boroughs where waste separation is already well established, our recycling services are shaped to match local expectations, helping residents and commercial sites divide paper, cardboard, metal, plastics, and general waste in a way that supports the wider borough recycling system. The result is a smoother pathway from collection to recovery.
A key part of our sustainability recycling strategy is keeping useful items in circulation for as long as possible. Where suitable, we divert reusable furniture, books, clothing, and household goods toward charitable partners so they can be passed on to families, community projects, and local support organisations. This partnership-led approach reduces waste while creating a direct social benefit. It also reinforces a simple idea: recycling is not only about processing material, but also about giving products a second life before they become waste.
We also invest in low-carbon vans to reduce the environmental impact of collection and removal services. These vehicles are selected for improved fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and quieter operation, which makes them suitable for urban routes and frequent stop-start journeys. In dense borough areas, where access roads can be narrow and traffic levels high, low-carbon fleets help cut the footprint of day-to-day recycling activity. Combined with route optimisation and smarter scheduling, this creates a measurable reduction in transport-related carbon output.
Our recycling practices are designed to reflect the specific needs of different local areas. Some boroughs place a strong emphasis on separating dry mixed recyclables from food waste, while others focus on clearer sorting for paper, glass, and cans. We support these approaches by guiding materials into the correct streams and avoiding contamination that can prevent recovery. In practical terms, this means ensuring that recyclable items are clean, dry, and sorted wherever possible, so more of what is collected can return to the manufacturing cycle.
To strengthen our sustainable waste management offer, we continuously review the materials we collect and the destinations they are sent to. Cardboard is baled for reprocessing, metals are sent for smelting and reuse, and suitable plastics are directed to facilities that can turn them into new products. Green waste may also be handled separately where local arrangements allow, helping to support composting and broader organic recovery. By treating each material according to its best end use, we improve efficiency and reduce the environmental burden of disposal.
Another important element of our recycling and sustainability work is education through action. Rather than relying on complicated steps, we make it easier for customers to follow borough-based sorting rules and disposal priorities. This can include separating metals from general rubbish, keeping paper free from food residue, and ensuring glass is placed in the appropriate stream. Light-touch adaptation to local borough systems helps promote better recycling outcomes without creating unnecessary complexity.
Our partnerships with charities also help support the circular economy in a very practical way. Items that still have value are screened for reuse before any decision is made to recycle or dispose of them. This not only reduces the volume sent to transfer stations but also extends the life of goods that can still serve a purpose. From office equipment to household furnishings, reuse can often be the most sustainable option, especially when backed by trusted community organisations that can distribute items responsibly.
Looking ahead, we are committed to raising our recycling percentage target year by year through better separation, cleaner collections, and stronger partnerships across the local area. We believe sustainability should be visible in every stage of the service: from the choice of low-carbon vans, to the use of local transfer stations, to the redirection of reusable items toward charity. By combining these measures with borough-aware recycling practices, we can help communities reduce waste, improve recovery rates, and move closer to a lower-carbon future.
