Tower Hamlets has worst recycling rate in England

The council says its population density poses unique challenges for recycling

An east London borough had the worst household recycling rate of any council area in England during 2022/23, according to research.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) report found Tower Hamlets had the lowest recycling rate out of all 32 London boroughs and the whole of England at 17.7%.

The research also found Bromley had the highest rate of household recycling in London at 48.7%.

A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said the borough faced "unique" challenges, such high population density, and it had an "ambitious" green plan for the next five years.

The government defines household waste as "broader than waste from households", and includes street bins, street sweepings, the emptying of drains, parks and grounds waste, soil and "compost-like output".

Defra analysed every local authority in England and its findings were published last month.

Outside of the capital, Liverpool City Council had the lowest household recycling rate at 17.9%, while South Oxfordshire had the highest household waste recycling rate at 61.6%.

Bromley has the best recycling rate in London

The government said recycling rates for each local authority would differ depending on three key factors: how heavily populated an area is, the kind of housing that exists there and how much organic or garden waste is collected.

The department explained in its research that "in built-up areas with a higher proportion of flats, residents may find it difficult or be unwilling to store waste for recycling, and will not be producing garden waste for collection".

'Unique' factors

Tower Hamlets has the fastest-growing population in the country - it grew by by 22.1% from 254,000 residents in 2011 to 310,300 residents in 2021.

It is also the most densely populated area in England with 15,695 residents per km sq.

A council spokesperson said these factors made it "unique and difficult to compare to the rest of the country".

They said 9,000 new homes were built between 2019 and 2022, however the borough has struggled to keep up with providing enough recycling facilities and infrastructure.

They added: “Also, 88% of our housing stock is flats and maisonettes.

"This is 32% higher than the London average and 64% higher than in England, meaning more of our residents have to share their recycling bins compared to the majority elsewhere who are responsible for their own bin."

They added: “We have an ambitious plan to deliver a clean and green future for Tower Hamlets.

"We are committed to delivering improvements over the next five years, with initial investment in service redesign, service delivery and community engagement."