Police waste (FOI Ref: 749:26)

FOI Request Reference: 749/26

Thank you for your request for information, received 23/3/2026.

Request

Q1. Please could I have an explanation of how police waste is typically disposed of, i.e. general landfill, incineration, recycling specialist waste collection?

Q2. Please could the above information also particularly include how exhibits and forensic samples are disposed of?

Response

Please find enclosed our response. 

Q1. Please could I have an explanation of how police waste is typically disposed of, i.e. general landfill, incineration, recycling specialist waste collection?

No general waste produced by the force is sent to landfill. Waste that cannot be directly recycled is sent to a combine heat and power generation facility for incineration. This generates energy with any ash recycled.

Below is a summary of what happens to each material after collection:

General (Residual) Waste- not sent to Landfill. Treated through energy recovery processes such as incineration or gasification, where waste is converted into electricity or synagas for energy production.

Food Waste - sent to anaerobic digestion facilities. Food is broken down to produce biogas (used for electricity or added to the gas-grid) and a nutrient rich fertiliser for agricultural use.

Dry Mixed Recycling - this is transported to a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Here, the materials are separated into individual streams:

Paper & Cardboard - pulped and made into new packaging products

Plastics - processed into pellets for manufacturing new items.

Metals - melted down and reused in new metal products

Uncontaminated PPE products are recycled into garden furniture, plant pots etc.

Vehicles:  oil and lubricants are collected for refining, windscreens are collected and recycled, brake pads and metal are collected and recycled, tyres are recycled, vehicles parts are recycled or sold in auction if reusable. Waste from our vehicles is recycled or reused as appropriate.

Q2. Please could the above information also particularly include how exhibits and forensic samples are disposed of?

Forensic exhibits are placed into biohazard bags and are incinerated.

Exhibits in general can be disposed of in many ways, as an exhibit can belong to an individual and may be returned where applicable. Otherwise, they will be treated as with other waste dependent on what it is as above.