Bristol, give yourselves a round of applause! According to statistics released by DEFRA*, Bristol has kept the top spot for recycling rates among English ‘core cities’ for eight years. Now that’s a ‘bin-spirational’ achievement!

Our eight-year crown wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of Bristol’s householders, its green champions and ‘binfluencers’ – those passionate recyclers who always know what to put out, where and when.

In their 2023 impact report, the city’s recycling experts Bristol Waste Company – you’ll know their colourful trucks which collect your waste and recycling each week – have lifted the ‘bin lid’ on the city’s amazing recycling results:

  • 21.9 million recycling and refuse collections
  • 71,000 tonnes of recycling and garden waste collected
  • £5.2 million saved in disposal costs
  • 52,000 usable items saved from going to waste at three Reuse Shops
  • 4,000 bags of litter collected through community litter picks
  • 2,000 homes powered by biogas produced from food waste
  • 800 miles of streets cleaned
  • 9,000 fly-tips cleared
  • 25,000 miles of roads gritted – that’s more than the circumference of Earth!

We can do better!

Bristol Waste Company has also provided the best value for money waste recycling service among English cities and local authorities.

Bristolians are doing excellent work when it comes to the environment, but we can do better – especially if we want to stay ahead of those other ‘core cities’ (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield)!

Did you know that the average wheelie bin in Bristol has around 25% food waste? When properly recycled in the brown food caddy, food waste can be turned into biogas – powering more than 2,000 Bristol homes.

There’s always something we can do to make our city cleaner and greener.

Find out more

Visit the Bristol Waste Company’s website to see the full 2023 impact report, as well as get top tips on reducing your household waste and making the most of your recycling service.

*Number one core English city for recycling rates according to DEFRA stats 2022-23.