Hazardous waste data update 2006
Summary
Six million tonnes of hazardous waste were sent for disposal or recovery in England and Wales in 2006. This is a 12% increase on 2004 - the last year for which we have complete records. The amount of hazardous waste sent to landfill fell to 900,000 tonnes (down 60 per cent since 2004), while recycling/re-use increased to 1.3 million tonnes (up 64 per cent). A quarter of the total hazardous waste produced went to a single treatment plant on Teesside.
Effect of changing legislation
Changes in hazardous waste classification (in the updated European Waste Catalogue) and revised disposal and recovery (D&R) codes make direct comparison with previous data difficult. This has meant some hazardous waste which was previously classified as 'treated' has now been reassigned as recycled/re-used. Changes in legislation have also had a direct impact on hazardous waste management, diverting waste away from landfill and causing more waste to be recycled or recovered. Other changes have re-classified some waste as hazardous; 'newly hazardous' waste includes electrical equipment such as fridges.
Main points
The charts (click thumbnails on right to open) draw out the main points and key trends;
- hazardous waste is being diverted from landfill; nearly one-and-a-half million tonnes less hazardous waste was sent to landfill between 2004 and 2006;
- the amount of hazardous waste being recycled and/or recovered increased;
- quantities of hazardous waste produced by our main industries continued to fall
- hazardous waste from waste and water treatment plants continued to increase - mainly ash from incinerators and residues from waste and water treatment;
- between 150,000 and 175,000 tonnes of 'newly hazardous' waste was generated.
Find out more
The charts on the right provide further explanation and interpretation. You can also view a Factsheet and a set of tables that summarise waste movements and trends and show how much hazardous waste was produced and deposited in 2006. These and similar tables with more detail for each region are available via the links on the left.
You can order a version of the hazardous waste interrogator on CD from our publications catalogue. Enter GEHO0108BNMZ-E-C in the product code search.
