How clued up are you on industrial waste recycling?

Across the UK, industry generates millions of tonnes of waste each year – from scrap metal and plastics to solvents, packaging and process residues. According to Defra, the industrial and commercial sectors produced over 33 million tonnes of waste in England alone in recent years, with a significant share coming from manufacturing and construction.

While progress is being made, around 20% of industrial waste still ends up in landfill, and that’s costing businesses in landfill tax, missed material recovery and even reputational risk. Recycling industrial waste isn’t just good for the environment, it’s also good for the bottom line. Recycling aluminium, for example, saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce it from raw ore. And reusing metals, plastics and other materials can drastically reduce resource costs and carbon footprints.

We’re also seeing more closed-loop recycling systems, especially in sectors like automotive and electronics, where material recovery is being built directly into product design. The growing shift towards a circular economy is transforming how UK industries handle waste – but only for those clued up enough to embrace it.

So, how much do you really know about industrial waste recycling? Whether you’re a sustainability lead, an operations manager or just someone who gets a bit too excited about waste segregation labels, this quiz is your chance to find out.

Put your industrial waste recycling knowledge to the test

Find out if you’re acing your industrial recycling strategy or just winging it with your waste transfer notes. No pressure – it’s just your waste credentials on the line here.

1 / 10

Which waste hierarchy principle is most often overlooked in industrial waste strategies?

Energy recovery

Prevention

Recycling

Disposal

2 / 10

Which of the following has the biggest impact on the recyclability of industrial plastic waste?

The colour of the plastic

Whether it’s high- or low-density

Cross-contamination with oils or adhesives

The shape of the packaging

3 / 10

Under the UK’s waste duty of care regulations, how long must a business keep records of waste transfer notes?

3 months

1 year

2 years

5 years

4 / 10

What is ‘downcycling’ in the context of industrial waste recycling?

Turning waste into energy

Recycling into a product of lower quality or value

Shifting recycling responsibilities down the supply chain

Turning waste back into raw virgin materials

5 / 10

Which industrial material is most commonly associated with downcycling?

Aluminium

PET plastic

Steel

Glass

6 / 10

Which of the following is an example of closed-loop recycling?

Using old bricks as road fill

Melting aluminium cans to make new cans

Burning waste for energy

Reusing industrial packaging as plant pots

7 / 10

A business switches from general waste to a full recycling strategy and sees a 30% reduction in waste handling costs over 12 months. What’s the most plausible explanation?

Fewer staff needed to handle waste

No need for hazardous waste storage

Lower landfill tax and improved material recovery for resale

Easier access to government subsidies

8 / 10

How can businesses measure the impact of their industrial recycling efforts?

By reducing their waste collection bills

By introducing a waste segregation system

Through regular waste audits and reporting

Through staff training

9 / 10

Which industry produces the most hazardous waste in the UK?

Agriculture

Retail

Manufacturing

Education

10 / 10

Fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, can be reused in:

Plastic manufacturing

Construction (cement and concrete)

Food packaging

Pharmaceuticals

Your score is

The average score is 100%

How did you do?

90–100%
Waste wizard 🧙‍♂️
You’re the absolute bin boss. Your consignment notes are probably filed alphabetically in a colour-coded folder and you dream in recycling symbols. We salute you.

70–80%
Sustainability star 🌟
You’re definitely on the right track. With a little more reading, you’ll be leading toolbox talks on industrial waste recycling and closed-loop processes in no time.

50–60%
Trying your best ♻️
You’ve got the basics nailed but could do with a quick refresher on contamination risks and waste duty of care – then you’ll be back in the green.

0–40%
Contamination alert 🚫
Your recycling game needs a serious clean-up. Why not retake the quiz straight away and finish as a waste wizard?