The amount of recycling and food waste increased in Bracknell last year. 

The latest data from the Bracknell Forest Council shows that since March 2021, the council dealt with an additional 6,031 tonnes of food waste since the new service started.

The council said its recycling rate of 56 per cent is a "monumental achievement". 

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Combined with the reduction in general waste collections and the increase in local recycling services, Bracknell Forest’s recycling rate has increased by 13 per cent to 56 per cent from 43 per cent in 2019/2020.

In comparison in 2020/2021 the largest increase recorded by a local authority in England was 5.2 per cent.

Cllr Mrs Dorothy Hayes MBE, Executive Member for Environment, said: “The success we have seen over the past year as a result of our waste and recycling changes has been astonishing.

“I’d like to thank my colleagues at the council and our partners Re3 and Suez, but most of all I would like to thank our residents who have adopted the changes with ease and made a real effort to recycle their waste correctly.

“Let’s keep going and continue to set higher standards within the waste and recycling sector.”

The 56 per cent recycling rate could see Bracknell Forest move 100 or more places up the ‘recycling league table’ for English local authorities. For 2020/2021 the council was 150th out of 338, but due to the incredible efforts of our local community and waste and recycling teams, this could improve to at least the top 40.

The council has also seen a nine per cent reduction in landfill waste as residents continue to donate, reuse and recycle instead of throwing away.

These statistics are celebrated in the Greening Waste Collection Progress Update that was presented to the council’s Executive on Tuesday, 21 June 2022, all statistics are pending approval by DEFRA and should be confirmed in the coming weeks.