What happens to your rubbish?Non-recyclable rubbish

Tips for reducing your rubbish

A woman holding a recycling box in her kitchen

Recycle as much household rubbish as possible

Don't dispose of rubbish or substances using outside drains (like those by the side of the road) as these often connect directly to rivers. Any harmful chemicals disposed of in this way could kill plants and fish, or contaminate the water supply.
Dispose of hazardous or chemical rubbish at your local tip, or ring your council for advice. Recycle Now and the Which? Recycling guide offer advice on disposing of hazardous rubbish.
Recycle as much household rubbish as possible to reduce the overall amount of rubbish going to landfill and incineration sites. Read the Which? Recycling guide for more recycling tips.
Reduce the amount of non-recyclable rubbish you produce by selling items in a usable state on an auction site such as eBay or donating them to charity.
Return unused medicines to your chemist, dead batteries to a battery retailer and paint to your local tip (see Recycle Now to find yours). If you're throwing paint away, let it dry out or absorb in sawdust first.
Reduce food waste by buying realistic pack sizes, cooking what you need and composting or reusing leftovers. Check out the government’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign for more ideas.
Buy products made from recycled materials. This closes the recycling loop and creates demand for recycling services and materials.
Buy biodegradable products and recycle or compost waste wherever possible. Not all biodegradable products can break down in landfill, but most do when composted.

Where your rubbish goes

Nearly 80% of all household rubbish in the UK is sent to landfill

Almost two thirds of all household rubbish could be recycled, and recycling rates have doubled since 2002.

While the situation is undoubtedly improving, more than three quarters of all domestic rubbish is still disposed of using traditional means.

This involves sending non-recycled rubbish to landfill sites, incinerators and water treatment plants. Not only are these rubbish disposal systems damaging to the environment, but they destroy valuable resources and materials that could otherwise have been recycled.

Rubbish in landfill sites

Landfill sites produce about 40% of the UK's total methane emissions

Nearly 80% of all household rubbish in the UK is sent to landfill sites after it’s thrown away. When a landfill site is full, the site is sealed with a 'cap' made of soils, sands and clay.

The dangers of landfill rubbish

Water can seep through landfill rubbish, turning it into a poisonous substance called leachate as it picks up harmful chemicals from the waste.

Rotting organic waste releases methane and carbon dioxide gases that contribute to climate change. Landfill sites produce about 40% of the UK's total emissions of methane.

Some types of rubbish don't degrade easily - eg a disposable nappy takes around 200-500 years to break down when buried. See our nappy buying guide for advice on making more eco-friendly choices.

Incinerating rubbish produces harmful dioxins

Rubbish incinerators

Around 8% of household waste is currently incinerated.

Many councils use incinerators to burn a proportion of rubbish, and this amount is set to increase as councils struggle to meet government landfill targets.

The dangers of incinerating rubbish

The ash (which ends up in landfill), smoke, and gases contain harmful dioxins, which can cause cancer.

Traces of harmful chemicals can remain in water after it's treated

Incinerators need lots of rubbish to work efficiently, and Friends of the Earth believes some local authorities are abandoning recycling plans to concentrate on incinerators.

Water treatment plants

Anything you pour down the sink or toilet flows through sewers to a treatment plant. The sewage is then cleaned, treated and the water returned to rivers, where it re-enters the water cycle via ground water and reservoirs.