Viridor keeps the equivalent of 16 million people's residential waste out of landfill 

·         Viridor publishes its FY26 ESG Report, marking the final year of its initial three-year ESG strategy 

·         More than 3.5 million tonnes of non-recycled waste diverted from landfill, equivalent to the residual waste produced by over 16 million people 

·         A record 2.5 million MWh of power generated, with enough exported to power almost 827,000 British homes 

·         Low-carbon heat supplied to the Cardiff Heat Network for the first time, providing heating and hot water and reducing emissions 

·         More than £1.5 million invested in local communities 

22 October 2026: Viridor diverted more than 3.5 million tonnes of non-recycled waste from landfill during FY26, equivalent to the residual waste produced by over 16 million people, according to its latest ESG Report published today. 

Viridor also generated a record 2.5 million MWh of electricity during the year, with enough exported to power the equivalent of 827,000 British homes. Investment in new plant equipment and fleet optimisation enabled the business to generate enough additional electricity to power over 10,000 homes and businesses compared with the previous year. 

The report covers the final year of Viridor's FY24-26 three-year ESG strategy, highlighting progress across energy recovery, decarbonisation, safety and community investment, alongside the challenges and lessons informing its next strategy. 

Viridor also began supplying low-carbon heat from its Trident Park Energy Recovery Facility to the Cardiff Heat Network for the first time. The heat, produced during the waste treatment process, is now being used to provide heating and hot water to buildings across Cardiff Bay. The network could reduce emissions from connected buildings by around 80% compared with traditional gas heating. 

More than £1.5 million was invested in local communities during the year through WeShare, Viridor’s own community fund for organisations near its sites, and other community programmes. This included over £24,000 for Reuse Network, which helps people access affordable, reused household items, more than £10,000 for community lending libraries across Wales, £5,000 towards a community hall refurbishment and youth talent event in Mitcham, and £4,500 for a community composting project in Southwark. 

The business completed detailed engineering and design work for its proposed carbon capture project at Runcorn and secured a permit from the Environment Agency. Once operational, the technology would capture CO₂ produced during waste treatment, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere. The project could also help inform plans to introduce carbon capture at other Viridor facilities. 

Reflecting on the progress beyond environmental performance, Viridor retained EcoVadis Platinum, placing it among the top 1% of assessed companies globally for sustainability performance, including environmental, social and ethical practices. The business also achieved RoSPA Gold for a second consecutive year, recognising its approach to workplace health and safety. 

The report is also open about areas where progress has been more difficult. Despite achieving yields of 70–75% at its Skive chemical recycling plant in Denmark, Viridor closed its European chemical recycling operations. While the technology had proved it could work, a lack of effective policy support in the UK and EU meant recycled plastics could not compete with cheaper virgin materials, while overall demand remained weak. An experience which highlights the need for stronger government policies to make chemical recycling commercially viable.  

It further outlines the action taken following permit breaches at its Beddington facility. An independent air quality assessment determined that these resulted in no measurable public or environmental harm, and additional systems have been put in place to prevent this happening again. 

Edita Adamcik, ESG Director at Viridor, said: 

“This report shows real progress, but also where we have more to do. We generated enough electricity to power the equivalent of 827,000 British homes and kept the equivalent of over 16 million people's residual waste out of landfill. That's particularly important when landfill accounts for around a quarter of the UK's methane emissions*.  

“We've also made progress on heat networks and carbon capture but faced challenges in chemical recycling. Our experience shows that technology alone isn't enough without the right policies and markets. As we develop our next ESG strategy, we'll build on our achievements, learn from our challenges and keep pushing for credible progress.” 

As it concludes its current three-year ESG strategy, Viridor has completed a comprehensive Double Materiality Assessment, identifying its most significant ESG impacts, risks and opportunities. The findings helped shape its next ESG strategy (FY27–29), building on the progress and lessons of the last three years.

Read Viridor's FY26 ESG Report here.

Watch Viridor’s key ESG achievements video here.

*Source: UK Government – Methane Action Plan