Calls for Jersey to Rethink Recycling System

Think Tank Calls for Rethink on Jersey’s Waste and Recycling Future

Jersey must decide whether to invest hundreds of millions in a new waste plant or overhaul its recycling system, according to a local think tank.

The Policy Centre, an independent organisation focused on civic engagement, has warned that the island’s energy-from-waste facility at La Collette will reach the end of its life in 2036. Replacing it could cost as much as £250m — a figure not accounted for in the government’s long-term spending plans.

Instead, the centre suggests Jersey should examine whether a shift towards a Guernsey-style recycling model could be a more cost-effective and sustainable option.

“Decisions need to be made now about what we do next,” the group said.

Figures released by the think tank show Jersey produces more than double the amount of general waste per person compared with Guernsey. In 2024, islanders generated 348kg each, against 118kg in Guernsey. Recycling rates also lag behind: Jersey households recycle 35% of their waste, compared with 68% across the water.

Jennifer Bridge of the Policy Centre said boosting recycling is about more than collection bins. “It’s about making it easy, trustworthy and worthwhile,” she explained. “When people see that what they recycle is genuinely reused — and when recycling is simpler than throwing things away — behaviour changes quickly.”

Currently, nine of Jersey’s 12 parishes operate kerbside recycling, though collection systems vary.

The Government of Jersey has been asked for comment.