Waste and recycling

The rubbish we put out for collection can be traced back to what we buy, use and throw away. Did you know that over half (60%) of the waste in an average household rubbish bin can be recycled? Each year, households in Richmond upon Thames produce over 80,000 tonnes of waste. This is enough to more than fill the Twickenham Rugby Stadium. Currently 36% of the borough's household waste is being recycled, and three in four Richmond residents now regularly recycle.

Recycling reduces the need for landfill and saves new materials and energy, thereby helping to protect natural resources and tackle climate change.

Richmond Council provides an extensive recycling service. Collections include:

  • Household recycling (paper, envelopes, flattened cardboard, cans, aerosols, textiles, aluminum foil, glass, plastic bottles)
  • Food waste
  • Green waste

For further information and advice visit the Rubbish, Waste and Recycling pages.

What can I do?

Once you are recycling all you can there are other things you can do to cut back your waste.

Compost

Almost a third of all household waste can be composted, creating nutrient rich fertiliser for your garden. Composting is easy and requires very little maintenance. It helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and build up of methane (a greenhouse gas), improves plant health and growth and reduces reliance on artificial chemical and fertilisers. You can compost uncooked kitchen wastes such as vegetables and fruit peelings, tea bags, eggshells as well as garden waste such as grass cuttings and leaves and even paper and cardboard.

For further information and to buy a subsidised compost bin or wormery visit the Composting pages.

Love Food Hate Waste

Did you know that a third of the food we buy in the UK ends up being thrown away. Most of that food could be eaten – it’s not just banana skins and tea bags. Wasted food is a waste of money and resources. To get the most out of the food you buy visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for useful tips and advice.

Reduce unwanted mail

The average household receives over 200 pieces of unwanted mail each year. You can reduce the amount of unwanted mail that comes through your door by registering your details with the mailing preference service and using the ‘No commercial leaflets’ sticker on your front door/letterbox. Find out how. If any unwanted mail does come through your door, don't forget to recycle it!

Join a re-use network

Every day many items are thrown away and sent to landfill when there could well be someone in your neighbourhood who could find a good use for them. Re-use networks allow you to advertise usable items such as an old TV, a desk or a sofa to people in your local community rather than throwing them away. There are many different re-use networks in Richmond upon Thames for you to join.

  • Furniture Scheme - The Furniture Scheme is a charitable organisation, which collects donated furniture and household items in good condition in and around the Richmond borough area. This project supplies furniture at low cost to people who could not otherwise afford it.
  • Community Scrapstore - The Scrapstore is a free service provided for those who live in and work in the borough. It stocks donated materials suitable for scrap art projects from card and paper to circuit boards and fabric. Materials in the scrap store can include: Rolls and scraps of fabric, paper and card, books, tiles, wood and knitting and sewing materials. For further information visit the Scrapstore Scheme  and Scrapstore donations.
  • Community RePaint - This scheme accepts unwanted but usable paint for redistribution to community groups and individuals in receipt of benefits.  For further information and to donate paint for reuse visit the Community RePaint scheme.
  • Freecycle - Freecycle is an online Yahoo! group where you can advertise any unwanted items you have to other members of the group simply by emailing them. You can also post ‘Items Wanted’ messages.

Reusable nappies

Disposable nappies are responsible for up to 4% of waste sent to landfill by the borough. Modern reusable nappies are very similar to disposables and as convenient to use. They come in a wide variety of cloth nappies with colourful designs. To encourage the use of reusable nappies, Richmond Council is offering residents a £50 cash back against either the purchase of reusable nappies or a nappy laundering service.

For further information and to register for the £50 cash back visit the Reusable nappies pages.

For further information and advice visit the Reduce and Reuse pages.