Beat the Landfill Tax Increase With Molson Crushers and Screening Trommels
April 3, 2023
The 2023 Budget, from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, was primarily focused on domestic finances, such as the much-publicised National Insurance cut. However, the budget also contained an important change for the construction industry, with a substantial increase in landfill tax from April 2025.
What is landfill tax?
Landfill tax was introduced in 1996 in an effort to reduce the use of landfill sites for waste and encourage recycling. Landfill tax is applied at two levels: a lower rate for inactive waste, and a standard rate for all other waste. Most construction, demolition and excavation (CD&E) waste falls into the inactive category.
The tax appears to be working, with receipts of £626 million for 2022/23, down by £41 million, or 6%, on the previous year. The total tonnage of waste to landfill was also down by 421,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. (Source: HMRC statistics)
How much is landfill tax going up?
Landfill tax is increasing by 21.6% for the tax year 2025/26. This means that the standard rate will rise from £103.70 to £126.15 per tonne and the lower rate will rise from £3.30 to £4.05 per tonne in England and Northern Ireland.
Part of reason for the increase is to reflect inflation, which has not been shown in previous rises. In the 2023/24 Budget, the standard rate rose by just £1.60, and the lower rate rose by just 5p.
“Landfill tax rates for the year 2025-26 will be adjusted to better reflect actual RPI,” says the Treasury, “and ensure that the tax continues to incentivise investment in more sustainable waste management infrastructure.”
Jacob Hayler, Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association, welcomed the rise, saying: “The Chancellor’s announcement … will help to ensure waste material does not fall down the hierarchy and will incentivise investment in alternative circular economy infrastructure.”
How much construction waste goes to landfill?
A white paper by the Construction Products Association shows that the industry has an impressive record when it comes to dealing with waste. The report quotes figures from 2018, which show that the UK produced 68 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste, of which 63 million tonnes (92%) was recovered and reused.
Overall, DEFRA statistics show that the recovery rate for construction and demolition waste has remained steady since 2010, at just over 90%, peaking at 93.3% in 2019.
How can Molson reduce your waste to landfill?
Molson has everything you need to maximise the recovery of your CD&E waste on site. From excavators to high-capacity crushers and screening trommels, from loaders to dumpers, we can provide high quality, high performance waste management equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers. As Molson Recycling Sales Director, Thomas McKeever explains:
“Molson stocks a comprehensive portfolio of machines to help recycle materials on site. Our wide range of Finlay crushers and screening trommels help to recover and sort materials ready for reuse. This not only reduces the cost of waste disposal – including the new landfill tax rise – but also provides a ready source of aggregates for the project, reducing the cost of materials too.”
Finlay screeners at Molson
Backed by over 60 years of engineering experience, the Finlay range of crushers, screeners and conveyors features over fifty machines, from two deck and three deck screening trommels to powerful jaw, cone and impact crushers.
“Whatever the project, whatever the CD&E material, Molson has the machines to deal with your waste effectively and efficiently,” says Thomas. “These machines have always been a sound investment, and with a 21.6% rise in landfill tax, they’re now more cost-effective than ever.”
To find out more about how Molson crushers and screening trommels can help to reduce your waste to landfill, download the brochures online or contact the Molson Sales Team today.
