• Strategy sets out Council’s commitment to meet waste and street cleansing targets.
• Strategy action plan builds on recent changes to waste management services boosting recycling rates by 25.6% while decreasing fly-tipping by almost a third.
Cabinet has signed off on Newham’s Recycling, Waste, and Street Cleansing Strategy that will enhance waste management services and boost recycling rates.
With the existing waste disposal contract coming to an end in 2027, which has been in place since 2002, the Council is gearing up for a substantial shift in how it manages waste and recycling services in the borough. The next four years will be crucial for positioning the Council's services for a seamless transition to the new disposal contract, ensuring a significant advance in waste management and recycling initiatives while also meeting local and national targets.
Councillor James Asser, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainable Transport, said: “Improving the way we manage waste and increase our recycling rates remains an important priority. The Council has already made huge strides in improving its waste management services including expanding the range of materials that can be recycled and brought in weekly recycling. Over the last six years we’ve increased recycling rates from around 16% to 25.6%, and have since introduced weekly recycling which should boost this even further.
“Progress has also been made on tackling fly-tipping with reports dropping by almost a third in the last year according Government figures; the second biggest improvement in London. These figures represent a real victory for our residents who want to see our streets cleaner, safer and more pleasant and are supporting work to make Newham a cleaner borough.
"We still have lots of work to do and challenges that to face, but the new strategy is a comprehensive roadmap that will allow us to tackle these issues and gets Newham ready for the new waste contract in 2027.”
The Recycling, Waste and Street Cleansing Strategy was developed with the needs and views of Newham residents in mind; two periods of community engagement were undertaken, including face to face workshops, surveys and face to face pop-ups sessions across the borough. The strategy is aligned with both environmental targets and residents' expectations for Newham to become an environmentally progressive borough, playing a pivotal role in achieving these targets focused on three key goals:
- Contributing to the Mayor of London's target of recycling 50% of household waste across London Boroughs by 2030.
- Collaborating with East London local authorities to achieve a minimum joint reuse, recycling, and composting performance of 35% by 2030.
- Aiming for the Council to become net zero across its operations by 2030 and across the borough by 2045.
- Being prepared for the evolving requirements outlined in the Environmental Act 2021, including the introduction of a food waste service
The next four years will be crucial for positioning the Council's services for a seamless transition to the new contract, ensuring a significant advance in waste management and recycling initiatives. Accompanying the strategy is the updated Waste Management Guidelines for Architects and Property Developers. This document provides developers in Newham with essential guidance to ensure new properties can recycle as much as possible and pushing our largest developments to develop spaces for the circular economy.
Newham Council is confident that the Recycling, Waste, and Street Cleansing Strategy will pave the way for a progressive and environmentally conscious future.