Waste and recycling

Waste and recycling is a key service for Londoners as it is affects all residents in a very direct way and contributes significantly to how residents perceive the service provided by their council.

The cost of waste and recycling services is a major concern for all boroughs; it is the third biggest area of spend for many authorities after education and social care.

Our focus

London Councils is particularly focussed on engaging with and shaping the Mayor’s Municipal Waste Management Strategy and working with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Opens in a new windowand other networks on a range of issues .

We want to ensure that the waste funding regime provides boroughs with the flexibility to address local priorities. We also seek to influence the direction of the London Waste and Recycling Board Opens in a new window and in particular ensure it remains sensitive to waste authority needs.

In June 2011, the Government published its Review of Waste Policy in England Opens in a new window, read the London Councils summary of the key points from this review.

Our current work programme is based on the outcomes of breakfast round table event - Cutting Waste not Services.  Read the report from this event and background papers.

We are also focusing on packaging waste. Read our position paper Opens in a new window on this issue.

Officers Advisory Panel on Waste – OAPW - Following a formal TEC agreement in December 2006, London Councils set up an advisory panel on waste.  Members include waste managers from a number of boroughs and representatives of Londons' four statutory waste disposal authorities. The Panel meets quarterly.

London Councils is engaged with a number of waste networks and organisations across the Capital.