Waste produced by industrial and commercial business has been reduced in the England, but this is due to factors other than recycling, including the recession and economic or sectoral decline and increased operational efficiency.

This was outlined by a new report launched this week entitled Rubbish Economy - A review of business waste production in England: Past, Present & Future, by Urban Mines.

The report outlined how the shift in England's economy from manufacturing to service industries impacted on waste production levels and how the ongoing decline anticipated within the manufacturing industry is likely to see this trend continue.

And as landfill tax increases, the report highlighted how new technologies such as energy recovery will become a cheaper alternative to landfill for waste that cannot be recycled.

Author of the report and managing director of Urban Mines, Peter Scholes, said: “Rubbish Economy highlights how the waste we produce reflects our broader economy and some of the challenges this will continue to bring for our recycling and waste management sectors. This will include the development of new infrastructure such as material recovery facilities and energy recovery plants.”

To find out more information and see a copy of the report, please click here.