The latest recycling figures show that the national household recycling rate for England climbed to 34.5% in 2007/08 from 30.9% in2006/07. They also reveal that less municipal waste was sent to landfill, decreasing from 16.9 to 15.5 million tonnes, or 54% of total municipal waste.This is in line with government strategy and EU targets. But can these trends continue?

 The economic downturn has brought about a collapse in commodityprices, including for recovered materials. The Independent Waste Paper Processors Association says the price of recovered paper has been in freefall and has still not bottomed. The UK exports 75% of its waste paper to the FarEast, but as the economic downturn bites demand in China and other far eastern countries has collapsed. Paper prices have fallen to £50 per tonne, but recyclingcompanies are still finding it hard to attract buyers.

The market for recovered plastics is even worse. One council – Hertfordshire County Council – hasalready stopped accepting mixed plastics for recycling because of the declinein the price of recovered materials. As the UK relies on exporting recyclables,falling prices mean it may have to adopt a different strategy, at least in theshort term.

Though the Environment Agency is talking about relaxing the rules and allowing recovered materials to be stockpiled at various sites across the country, some materials, particularly low-grade paper, quickly deteriorate. It's likely some material collected for recycling will be incinerated or end upin landfill.