Here's what happens to your recycling | On Location

Learn about Veolia recycling centre in South London and its role in handling waste from over two million Londoners.

Discover what metal items are accepted for recycling at the centre, including tin cans, computer hard disks, and circuit boards.

Explore common myths about recycling, such as the acceptance of specific items and the importance of cleaning materials before recycling them.

Understand the detailed sorting process of materials through disc screens that differentiate between various plastics and other recyclable items.

Learn the proper way to recycle plastic bottles, including keeping the lid on, and the process of recycling solid plastic trays and cans without the need for cutting or removing materials inside.

Discover the advanced technology used in the recycling process, such as magnetic fields to extract metals, near-infrared sorters, and human sorting to ensure purity of materials.

Explore the transformation of materials post-sorting, including paper being pulped up at a paper mill and plastics processed into pellets for milk bottles.

Understand the scale of the global recycling industry, valued at £161 billion in 2017 and projected to continue growing, with materials being exported to Asia, Europe, and remaining in the UK.