Scotland's recycling rate falls to five-year low, with Glasgow at just 26%
Households recycled 42.8% of their waste in 2025, far short of the 70% target, as campaigners say Scotland has 'lost its way'.
Recycling bins in the Highlands. File photo. · Photograph: Steven Brown (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Scotland's household recycling rate has fallen to its lowest level in five years, according to new figures from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).
Households recycled 42.8% of their waste in 2025, down from 44.3% the year before. A Scottish Government roadmap published in 2010 set a target of 70% by 2025.
Households produced 2.31 million tonnes of waste last year, only 1,500 tonnes less than the year before. Recycling rates have stayed at around 45% for more than a decade.
Glasgow among the lowest
Rates vary widely between councils. South Ayrshire residents recycled 55% of their waste, while Glasgow managed just 26%. The islands had the lowest rates, with Orkney at only 18.2%.
Shift from landfill to incineration
The biggest change has been in how black bag waste is handled. A rapid increase in energy-from-waste plants, which burn rubbish to generate electricity, has meant less waste going to landfill, with the amount sent to landfill falling by 10%.
But that shift has not happened fast enough to meet a ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfill, which was due to take effect at the start of this year and has effectively been delayed to 2028.
The figures do not yet reflect the shutdown in April of the Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre at Polmadie, which is undergoing long-term repairs. Operator Viridor said incineration was a greener option than landfill because it avoids methane and produces low-carbon electricity.
Why rates are falling
A deposit return scheme for bottles and cans, which has boosted recycling in other countries, has been repeatedly delayed. Experts say the lack of consistency between councils, such as whether glass is collected at the kerbside, is confusing for households. Zero Waste Scotland research suggests more than half of what goes in black bins could be recycled.
Sepa's chief scientific officer Dr Richard Allan said the figures highlighted an ongoing challenge, and that the focus must be on preventing waste and recycling more.
Kim Pratt of Friends of the Earth Scotland said there had been a shocking decline and that Scotland had missed its target by a mile. She said recycling had stalled since the government encouraged new incinerators, meaning waste that could be recycled is being burned instead.
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.