Milton Keynes Landfill Waste and Recycling Statistics 2025

Milton Keynes has a long history of championing environmentally friendly initiatives. In 1992, it became the first place in the UK to introduce kerbside recycling collections. In 2017, it opened a Waste Recovery Park to turn non-recyclable waste into energy. And in 2023, the city rolled out colour-coded wheelie bins to boost recycling rates.

Now, the latest figures reveal just how far Milton Keynes has come. From household recycling statistics to landfill use, the data highlights the city’s continued commitment to managing waste sustainably.

Let’s take a closer look.

How much waste does Milton Keynes produce?

Based on the latest government data for the year ending in March 2024, we found that:

• Milton Keynes City Council collected 121,339 tonnes of waste that year – the equivalent weight of 121,339 of the city’s famous concrete cows!
• 95% of this waste (115,035 tonnes) came from households.
• That works out to 394kg of household waste per person, including both recyclables and non-recyclables.
• On average, each household generated 361kg of black bin waste.
• The remaining 5% of waste (6,305 tonnes) came from non-household sources, such as businesses, factories, litter bins and fly-tipping.
• The total waste collected in Milton Keynes is comparable to Medway (117,686 tonnes) and Brighton & Hove (111,049 tonnes).
• Overall waste collected in Milton Keynes fell by 2.65% compared to the previous year.

Milton Keynes recycling statistics: How much waste does Milton Keynes recycle?

The latest government figures reveal how much waste is being recycled in Milton Keynes – and how much still ends up in black bins.

• In the year ending March 2024, Milton Keynes City Council recycled 73,454 tonnes of waste.
• This accounts for 61% of the total waste collected in the area.
• Milton Keynes’ recycling rate is well above the national average of 41%.
• Over the past decade, recycling rates in the city have fluctuated, with a general decline from 2019 to 2023.
• However, the year ending March 2024 saw a sharp increase, with the rate climbing to 61% – the highest level in the past ten years.
• This increase follows the rollout of a new waste collection service, which included the introduction of wheelie bins for recycling and 65 new waste collection vehicles.

The trend in Milton Keynes’ recycling rates can be seen in the graph below:

 

How does Milton Keynes’ recycling rate compare to other areas?

Milton Keynes performs exceptionally well compared to other local authorities across the South East and the rest of England: 

• Milton Keynes’ recycling rate of 61% is well above the national average of 41%.
• It ranks 5th out of 321 local authorities for the percentage of waste recycled, placing it in the top 2%
• In terms of recycling volume, Milton Keynes ranks 8th out of 70 local authorities in the South East.
• For the percentage recycled, it ranks 3rd in the region, just behind Vale of White Horse District Council.
• South Oxfordshire District Council leads not only the region, but the entire nation, recycling 63% of its waste.
• At the other end of the scale, Slough Borough Council has the lowest recycling rate in the South East, at just 23%.

The table below shows the 10 South East local authorities with the highest recycling rates in the year ending March 2024:

 

Milton Keynes landfill waste statistics: How much of Milton Keynes’ rubbish is sent to landfill? 

Milton Keynes recycles a large portion of its rubbish, and the rest doesn't go to waste. Very little ends up in landfill – instead, it’s turned into energy through greener methods. 

Here’s what the data shows:

• In the year ending March 2024, just 0.66% (800 tonnes) of waste collected by Milton Keynes Council was sent to landfill.
• This is well below the national average of 5.48%.
• To put that into perspective, nationally, Milton Keynes is among the cities sending the least waste to landfill – in between Sunderland (562 tonnes) and Derby (990 tonnes).
• Instead of landfill, 35% of the city’s waste (42,320 tonnes) was incinerated via energy from waste (EfW) facilities.
• Of the waste sent to landfill and incineration, 1,993 tonnes had been rejected for recycling – likely due to contamination or unsuitable materials.

In October 2024, Milton Keynes City Council announced that no rubbish had been sent to landfill in the previous quarter. This milestone was made possible by the city’s investment in a cleaner, greener gasification plant, which processes non-recyclable materials to generate energy.

Looking to the future

Milton Keynes City Council has outlined several forward-thinking initiatives to enhance its waste and recycling infrastructure, aiming to support the city's growth and sustainability goals.

In January 2025, the council announced proposals to replace its three existing household recycling centres with two larger, greener and more modern Reuse and Recycling Centres – to meet rising demand as the city grows. Features will include improved accessibility, a wider range of recycling options (such as carpet and asbestos), and dedicated reuse and repair shops to support a more circular economy. At least one site will operate entirely off-grid, powered by its own renewable energy.

The council also plans to transform its existing Waste Recovery Park in Wolverton into a state-of-the-art Eco Park. This upgraded facility will generate even more green energy for the city while helping to reduce carbon emissions. Additional plans include an on-site education centre to encourage greater community involvement in the city’s sustainability efforts.

What can residents do to help?

Residents play a vital role in helping Milton Keynes maintain its position as one of the best-performing areas in the country for recycling and waste reduction.

With the new colour-coded wheelie bin system already in place and future upgrades on the horizon, it’s now easier than ever to separate recyclables and reduce what goes in the black bin. Simple actions – like checking what goes in each bin, rinsing containers to avoid contamination, and reusing or donating unwanted items – can make a big difference.

For larger or more difficult waste, such as furniture or DIY materials, our Milton Keynes rubbish removal services are here to help. Whether you choose skip hire, HIPPOBAG collection or man and van rubbish removal, HIPPO makes it easy to dispose of waste responsibly.