Waste management

We are responsible for the management and disposal of municipal waste from Greater Manchester (formerly known as Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority). We handle around 4% of the UKs municipal waste. This is approximately 1.1 million tonnes of waste and recycling each year from over a million households from the metropolitan districts of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford (Wigan operates as a unitary authority and administers its own disposal arrangements).

GMCA receives funding from a levy on the nine Greater Manchester local authorities. The levy funds the operation of a network of waste and recycling management facilities in Greater Manchester:

20 Household Waste and Recycling Centres
Eight Transfer Loading Stations
Five Mechanical Treatment and Reception Facilities
A Materials Recovery Facility
A Energy Recovery Facility

We also manage two Education Centres, a Solar Farm and four closed landfill sites.

The recycling rate for waste from households in Greater Manchester in 2017/18 was 47%.

Our aims

55% household recycling by 2025
60% recycling across the 20 Household Waste Recycling Centres by 2021
At least 90% diversion from landfill by 2021

In support of these aims, communications and behavioural change campaigns are delivered under our public facing brand, Recycle for Greater Manchester. We work in partnership with local councils, WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and other stakeholder organisations.