Households produced 5.6m tonnes of packaging in 2023

This included 3.2 million tonnes of packaging waste that was put into recycling bins – the largest packaging waste stream.

The study was commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA), County Councils Network (CCN), and District Councils Network (DCN).

It also found that:

• 3 million tonnes was put into residual waste bins.
• 70,000 tonnes was mistakenly put in food waste.

Councils have urged the government to ensure that incoming reforms focus on reducing unnecessary waste in the first place and increasing the recyclability of packaging.

Councillor Adam Hug, environment spokesperson for the LGA, said: “Good packaging is essential for keeping products fresh and intact, and producers are doing more to reduce waste and support recycling. But everybody can see the levels of waste, across our shop shelves, delivered to our homes, and into our bins.

“We support reforms that move the costs for dealing with packaging waste from councils onto the producers. However, it is crucial that the costs are met, that councils continue to lead local waste and recycling services, and that the focus is on reducing unnecessary waste in the first place.”

Passing the costs onto producers

Polling commissioned by the LGA, conducted by YouGov, found that the public are 12 times more likely to think costs in reducing packaging should be met by companies producing it (48%) rather than councils dealing with it (4%). Additionally, 85% of people think companies should be required by the government to reduce the amount of packaging used.

Councillor Richard Clewer, infrastructure and planning spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said: “The County Councils Network supports the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, particularly its overall aim to reduce residual waste. As this research has shown, a significant amount of recyclable waste still ends up in the wrong bin despite the best efforts of local authorities.

“The government must ensure that the recyclable waste that is placed into incorrect bins is taken into consideration when calculating the amount that councils will get paid through the EPR scheme. At a time when they are under immense financial pressures, councils should not be penalised, and producers of packaging must do more to ensure that packing ends up in the correct bin.”

The councils have also called for clearer labelling on packaging to help households dispose of waste correctly.