New Government figures show that Milton Keynes has the biggest rise in recycling rates of any place in England, leapfrogging dozens of other areas to become one of the country’s greenest recycling cities.
Milton Keynes is now one of the top recyclers, rising an incredible 76 places in the rankings from 83 to 7.
Milton Keynes City Council is asking for local people’s support to get to number 1 next year by making sure that everything that can be recycled is recycled, into the right bin.
Official statistics show 60.2% of the city’s household waste was sent for recycling, reuse or composting in 2023/24, up from 48.1% the previous year. The national average rate for recycling is 44%.
The rise follows Milton Keynes City Council introducing cleaner and greener recycling and waste collections in September 2023 when, among other changes, local people started separating their paper and card from plastic, metal, and glass into two bins. The red and blue wheelie bins have made it easier for local people to sort their recyclables, and by encouraging more people to start recycling, the city council has seen the amount of recycling it processes rise by more than a third.
As the figures for 2024/25 will cover a full year of wheelie bin collections, the city should reach an even higher position in the chart next year.
"More than 30 years ago, Milton Keynes became the first place in the UK to introduce kerbside recycling, and I’m delighted that we’re now one of the best recyclers in the country. This is a great result, as recycling saves energy, reduces waste and helps to tackle climate change; I’m really proud we’re making this progress so let’s all keep up the good work and aim for the top spot next time!”
The city council sets out what can and can’t be recycled at www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/recycling and is asking all residents to refresh their recycling knowledge, as most people are putting at least one thing they shouldn’t into their recycling - which can stop other items from being recycled, especially if it’s wet or dirty.
Although the city council uses waste that can’t be recycled to generate electricity, and this powers many of its waste collection, cleaning, and maintenance vehicles, the goal as a leading green and sustainable city is to recycle as many materials as possible.