Southend-on-Sea City Council has awarded SUEZ recycling and recovery UK an initial eight-year contract to provide recycling, waste, and street cleansing services.

 

Starting from 05 April 2025, SUEZ will manage recycling and waste collections for the 85,000 households across the city, alongside the two household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) and street cleansing.

Part of the global SUEZ group, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK employs over 6,500 people, operating across hundreds of sites, and handles approximately 11 million tonnes of waste materials every year – a significant proportion of the UK’s total waste. Through collection, treatment, recycling and logistics operations, it serves more than 30,000 business customers and millions of householders throughout the country.

In your community

Volunteering opportunities

The Southend-on-Sea Community Liaison Group provides a platform for residents and community groups to share news, ideas, and feedback about the services SUEZ operates across the city.

 

Comprising local residents and organisations, the group meets four times a year, offering a valuable opportunity to contribute to the ongoing improvement of Southend’s waste and recycling services.

 

Meetings are held at Southend Civic Centre. Please contact us to register your interest.

  • Tuesday 01 September 2026
  • Tuesday 01 December 2026
  • Tuesday 02 March 2027
  • Tuesday 01 June 2027

 

We welcome new members and would love to hear your thoughts! If you're a local resident or represent a community group and would like to get involved, please get in touch through the form below.

Litter Champions are volunteers that help tidy the streets, parks and beaches of Southend-on-Sea. 


You can do this independently, set up a group or join one of the existing groups around our city. 


Whether it’s 10 minutes a day on your commute, 30 minutes a week at the park, or an occasional hour at the beach - you can make a difference!

 

What are the benefits of becoming a Litter Champion?

  • Satisfaction of seeing your area clear of litter
  • Taking part in positive actions to improve your local environment
  • Being linked to a community of like-minded and environmentally-conscious people
  • Helping to encourage responsible behaviour around litter
  • Helping to prevent plastics entering the wider environment and potentially polluting our seas

 

Interested?

Go to Get in touch to register your interest to receive updates on the scheme.

 

We can lend you a Litter Champion kit that includes a litter picker, bag hoop, bags and a high-vis jacket.
We will give you training and support.

 

Helping to make Southend a better place for us all has never been easier!

 

Litter Champions - Beach clean

 

Litter Champions - Litter

 

Community and environmental improvement projects

Creating a cleaner, greener Southend is something we can all be part of. SUEZ recognises the important role local residents, community groups and volunteers play in helping to increase recycling rates, reduce litter and keep our city looking its best. There are many fantastic organisations across Southend leading litter picks, environmental projects and community initiatives that make a real difference. If you'd like to get involved, support local activities or volunteer your time, we encourage you to contact the groups listed below.

 

Together, we can help create a cleaner, more sustainable Southend for everyone.

 

If you'd like to find out how SUEZ can work with your community group, or if you would like your organisation to be featured on this page, please get in touch with us. We'd love to hear about the positive work taking place across the city and help connect more people with opportunities to get involved.

 

  • Clifftown Conservation Group - A volunteer-led group dedicated to protecting and enhancing Clifftown’s natural, historic and community spaces through conservation projects and local action.
  • Grassroots Westcliff - Enhancing Westcliff by building pocket parks, tackling litter & building community spirit. Find out more on their Facebook page.
  • Litter-less Leigh - Join local volunteers helping to protect Leigh’s coastline by keeping streets, beaches and green spaces clean for everyone to enjoy. Find out more on Facebook or Instagram.
  • Prittle Brook Community Group - The Prittle Brook Community group collects litter along the pathway alongside Prittle Brook.
  • Southend Beach Care - Southend Beach Care encourages local communities to take pride in their environment organising beach cleans at locations along the Estuary, from Shoebury East Beach to Two Tree Island.
  • Thames 21 - Whether it’s the Thames or one of its many tributaries, Thames 21 offer inspiring ways for communities to get down to their local riverbank. Their aim is to rebuild the relationship between communities and their rivers.
  • Trust Links - Trust Links is a local mental health and wellbeing charity committed to supporting people experiencing mental health problems, building stronger communities and promoting sustainable living.
  • St Laurence and Eastwood Action Group - Community Litter Picking support. Find out more on Facebook.

Education activities

We are dedicated to keeping the community informed and engaged on all things recycling and waste!

News from Southend-on-Sea

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If something’s gone wrong, please let us know so we can fix it. If something we’ve done has impressed you, please tell us so we can congratulate the relevant people. If you have any questions, we’d be happy to answer them – we’d also be delighted to consider any comments or suggestions you may have.

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