Shock figures reveal that one in three households are producing more waste

New research from Renewable Energy Waste Solutions (REWS), a new renewable energy company, reveals that 32 per cent of people believe the amount of waste their households have produced over the past three years has generally increased, compared to one in four (25 per cent) who think it has declined.

One in 12 households says that the amount of waste they produce has increased dramatically since 2014.

REWS warns that as we produce more waste, a growing number of landfill sites could close and there could be a rise in recycling centres refusing to take waste.

Further new research from REWS reveals that 65 per cent of professional investors believe this problem will get worse over the next two years. This could also lead to a rise in the level of fly-tipping.

Of those households who have seen a rise in the level of waste they produce, 39% said it was because their households had become bigger through for example their families growing. However, 33 per cent said it was due to retailers making special offers to encourage people to buy more. Some 23 per cent said it was because their disposable income had increased so they are buying more, and 14 per cent said it was due to falling prices.

When it comes to recycling, 7 per cent say their households recycle less than 10 per cent of the waste they produce. Some 45 per cent say they recycle less than 50 per cent, and just one in five think they recycle more than 75 per cent.

When asked why they don’t recycle more, 36 per cent say that they don’t know enough about what can be recycled, followed by 18 per cent who say it’s too difficult to do and 13 per cent who don’t think it will make any difference. Some 9 per cent say they are too busy to recycle and 5 per cent said they don’t need to as their council will do it for them.

William McClintock, Chairman REWS said: “As a society, we are producing more waste than ever before. This is fuelling the growing problem of landfill sites closing and more recycling centres turning certain types of waste away as they do not have room to take it.

“We need to find new ways for managing our waste, and one key focus area should be on how we can turn more of it into renewable energy.”