Behind the scenes at Somerset’s recycling facilities 

This September, we were really pleased to join visitors, including lots of CAG members, for behind-the-scenes tours of two SUEZ recycling and recovery sites here in Somerset: Evercreech and Taunton. These are busy working sites, so it was a great opportunity to see what really happens after recycling is collected from homes across the county. 

Between them, the two sites sort and separate over 75,000 tonnes of waste each year, helping to get materials ready to be recycled and made into new products. Visitors were able to follow the journey from the moment materials arrive on site, through to sorting, separating and preparing them for their next use. 

We had a CAG Somerset stall, where we chatted with visitors about the brilliant work our member groups are doing to divert items before they reach the recycling stage. Across Somerset, groups are running reuse shops, repair cafés, scrapstores, community fridges and more, all helping people make the most of resources, keeping useful items in circulation and cut down on everyday waste. 

Matthew Canning, Contract Director for SUEZ, Somerset said; “We were delighted to open our doors to around 200 visitors at two of our sites in September. We really value the communities we serve and having an opportunity to show visitors how our dedicated teams process the recycling is fantastic. The Heritage Open Days allow us to showcase the more in-depth processes of recycling and how our residents’ efforts at home make a huge difference to making a more sustainable Somerset. It’s a great chance for us to answer questions and impart valuable safety information, such as highlighting the dangers of batteries and the potential damage they can do to our trucks and facilities.” 

One of the biggest takeaways from the tours was seeing just how much care, technology and expertise goes into processing recycling. So much happens after you have put items in a box at the kerbside. Skilled teams and specialist machinery work together to sort materials so they can be used again, whether as cardboard packaging, plastic pipes, car parts, soil improvers or other new products. 

It was also reassuring to hear that the vast majority of Somerset’s recycling is reprocessed much closer to home than many people might think. In 2024/25, 87.5% of Somerset’s recycling was reprocessed in the UK, with more than half staying in Somerset itself. The tours helped bust a few common myths too: Somerset tracks where recycling goes, and materials are not being, dumped or flushed out to sea. 

Another important message was the impact that contamination can have. When the wrong items go into recycling containers, it can slow down the process, increase costs and reduce the quality of the materials that can be recycled. Batteries, vapes, gas canisters and other hazardous items are especially risky, as they can cause fires or damage vehicles and equipment if they end up in the wrong place. 

So, what can we all do? We can keep recycling the right items in the right containers, keep batteries out of recycling bags and bins. Consider if a repair cafe could be the place to help you repair your bag before having to buy again, or if a reuse shop could find a loving new home for the kettle you no longer need. Small actions at home really do add up when it comes to keeping people safe and helping valuable materials stay in use for longer.  

Jinny from CAG Somerset said: “These visits were a great reminder that creating a more sustainable Somerset requires action at every stage. From recycling the right items correctly to supporting repair, reuse and redistribution in our communities, every action helps keep valuable materials in use for longer and supports a more circular economy. We are incredibly proud to champion the community groups across Somerset that play such a vital role in making this happen every day.” 

A big thank you to the SUEZ teams at Evercreech and Taunton for opening their doors, sharing their knowledge and showing visitors what happens behind the scenes.