Minerals and Waste

The rich geology of the South Downs underpins so much of what makes the National Park special: its diverse landscapes, land use, buildings and culture.

Mineral working is an historic feature of the South Downs and it also presents a key challenge to the National Park’s landscape.

People living, working or visiting here generate waste that needs to be dealt with. We work towards reducing, reusing and recycling waste before anything is thrown away.

There are small-scale local waste and recycling facilities within the National Park, as well as larger facilities where waste from construction and demolition activities is recycled. Inert waste that cannot be recycled can be a useful source of material to enable the restoration of old quarries or to stabilise quarry faces.