What happens to your waste and recycling
We collect over 80,000 tonnes of household rubbish every year:
- 59,690 tonnes is converted to electricity at the Energy from Waste site at Haverton Hill
- 19,171 tonnes (over 24%) is recycled
- 4000 tonnes goes to landfill
Food waste
Food waste is taken to Warrens Emerald Biogas in Darlington and recycled into electricity through a process called anaerobic digestion.
Paper
Paper is taken to paper mills in the UK to be recycled, mainly into newsprint.
Plastic, cans and cardboard
These are taken to J&B Recycling's Material Recycling Facility (MRF) in Hartlepool for sorting using a variety of processes, plus a final quality control check by hand, into aluminium, steel, plastic bottles and pots tubs and trays.
They are then transferred to various reprocessors, mainly in the UK and Europe for recycling into a wide variety of products.
Cardboard
Cardboard is taken to paper mills in the UK to be recycled.
Wood
Wood is taken to a local company, Scott Bros, who reuse the good quality wood. The remaining wood has metal fastenings removed and is shredded before it is sent to a mill where it is made into wood composites.
Glass
Mixed Glass Bottles are taken to reprocessors in the UK where they are sorted into different colours, melted and recycled back into glass for a variety of uses.
Garden waste
All of the garden waste that we collect goes Scott Bros Norton Bottoms, where it is recycled into compost.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment
Things like fridges, freezers, large domestic appliances, televisions, toasters and, kettles are collected for recycling and taken to Wincanton at Billingham. The items are placed in a large metal revolving drum and are broken up before being hand sorted for recycling. Fridges and freezers have the gas elements removed before they are recycled.
Textiles and shoes
Textiles and shoes from Haverton Hill are collected by the Salvation Army, R&S Recycling and Oxfam. The items are sorted and where possible they are sold through charity shops linked to these organisations. Things that are not suitable for the shops are bagged and shipped abroad for use in developing countries. Everything else is recycled into rags.
