WASTE sent to landfill in Somerset fell by more than half in a year, new figures reveal.

Statistics from Somerset Council showed a 57% drop in rubbish sent to landfill, as well as a 5.4% increase in recycling being processed in the county.

The news comes as parts of the former Mendip district saw delays to recycling collections amid “a range of operational issues” in recent days.

However, the report detailed a number of improvements to recycling from Somerset residents, including:

99% of all plastics collected in Somerset were recycled within the UK
The total amount of waste recycled and reused locally rose by 2.5%
Waste sent to landfill dropped by over 57%, marking a significant environmental win

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Cllr Richard Wilkins, lead member for transport and waste services, said: “We’re incredibly proud of these results. It’s vital for us to understand exactly what happens to the recycling we collect from residents, and it’s fantastic to see more of it being processed right here in Somerset.

“Publishing these figures annually helps us stay transparent and accountable, residents want to know what happens to their recycling. Seeing how much stays close to home encourages participation.”

The announcement is timed to coincide with national Recycling Week 2025, which runs until September 28, around a theme of ‘Rescue Me! Recycle’.

It aims to highlight items many think are not recyclable, but actually are, including the likes of shampoo bottles, foil and toothpaste tubes.

For the full recycling details from Somerset Council, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/recycling-tracker.

READ MORE: More delays to recycling collections in parts of Somerset