Waste and consumer habits
Surrey has made great leaps in improving its disposal of waste, with one of the highest rates of recycling in the country, but we have stalled. We currently recycle 55% of our waste, still looking to achieve our county-wide target of 70%.
We need to push beyond this traditional approach to waste, thinking about circular economy principles – reducing the creation of waste in the first place through better design, reuse of materials and ending single-use.
What are you doing to reduce the waste you create and how can Surrey’s authorities and businesses support you in this endeavour?
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Updated 11 May 2020
Updated 11 May 2020
Surrey's Greener Future
Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2DW
Penrhyn Road
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 2DW
© Surrey County Council 2020
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Surrey's Greener Future
Penrhyn Road
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 2DW
© Surrey County Council 2020
Made By 
Clear understanding of what is recyclable is needed – short videos that are easy to find and that people are told about.
Also confirmation that people are making a difference and their recycling is being recycled, not just shipped abroad.
Clear recycling bins in town centers and local parks etc.
Finally subsidies for / investment in local “plastic free” shops or organisations that are net zero or eco conscious, this will encourage the public to be more aware of the options, also there is now a lot of space on the high street for these stores …
Perhaps we should be encouraging community composts at local allotments as well to reduce our need to purchase pre-grown compost. It’s great that food waste goes to produce energy but perhaps having a portion that goes to unifying communities and having local level sustainability would also be another good section to the system.
Is it true that Surrey does not currently recycle non-clear plastic
Switzerland has great community recycling bins that are sunk into the ground, so they don’t clutter the street. Could these encourage recycling in public areas as well as the home?
https://www.newlyswissed.com/a-primer-on-recycling-in-switzerland-2/amp
How do we know our recycled waste is genuinely recycled, rather than just shipped abroad to make waste mountains there.
Can you encourage people to use recyclable materials, including plastics, that are easy to recycle rather than composites like plastic lined cardboard (which seem to be so popular post Blue Planet) and tetrapaks which are far less recyclable than glass or single type plastic.