Helping keep Wells Beach beautiful: our new Waste Separation Station

June 16, 2026 | WONDER | 7 minute read

Discover why we have introduced a new Waste Separation Station at Wells Beach Car Park, and how recycling your beach waste helps protect the Norfolk coast for future generations.

Why we’re asking you to separate your waste at Wells Beach

A day at Wells Beach often ends the same way. The last ice cream is finished, the picnic is packed away, sandy towels are shaken out, and all the rubbish gets bundled into a bag before heading back to the car.

This summer, we’re asking for one small extra step that can make a big difference.

Regular visitors to Wells Beach will have noticed that we’ve recently installed a new Waste Separation Station near to Wells Beach Café, replacing the old bin stations around the car park.

Our new Waste Separation Station is designed to have everything all in one place, making it easier for visitors to sort their rubbish into general waste, recycling and glass before heading home.

Moving the bins is a simple change, but one we thought deserved a little more explanation. By separating your waste at the end of a day on Wells Beach, you’re helping us reduce the amount of non-recycled waste we generate and protect the beautiful coastline we all come here to enjoy.

Part of our WONDER journey

At Holkham, sustainability isn’t an afterthought, it’s built into everything we do through our WONDER strategy. One of our three key goals is to tread lightly and stamp out waste, with an ambition to reduce the amount of non-recycled waste we generate by 10% every year.

Since 2020, we’ve already reduced our general waste by 57%, the equivalent of 354 tonnes – or put another way, roughly the weight of 236 Beach Huts!

Thanks to the hard work of our team, guests and visitors, that’s a lot of rubbish kept out of the general waste stream, but every correctly sorted bottle, can and crisp packet helps us go even further.

There is still more we can do, particularly along our coastline where around 80% of our waste is generated. The new Waste Separation Station will hopefully help us get another step closer to our goal.

Why have we moved all the bins together?

Bringing the bins into one dedicated area helps us manage waste far more efficiently.

Rather than bin lorries travelling around busy parts of the beach car park during peak periods, our teams can collect waste from one location, reducing vehicle movements and improving safety for visitors and their dogs. It also gives our team more time to engage with visitors, answer questions and help make waste separation as simple and straightforward as possible.

Litter left outside bins doesn’t just look untidy. It can become a hazard for wildlife, increase fire risk during dry weather and spoil the landscape that makes Wells Beach so special.

Why separating your waste matters

We know what it’s like at the end of a beach day, you’re juggling buckets and spades, a windbreak under one arm, a tired child under the other, and the easiest thing to do is chuck all your rubbish into one bag and head for the car. We’re not necessarily asking you to change that, we’re simply asking that, once you reach the car park, you take five minutes to bring that bag to the Waste Separation Station and empty it into the correct bins for general waste, recycling and glass. Or, if you’d rather, take it home and sort it using your own recycling system. Either way, those few extra minutes can make a big difference.

And you’ll be pleased to hear it doesn’t all go to landfill!

General waste, such as crisp packets and dog waste that can’t currently be recycled through mainstream collections, is sent to an energy recovery facility where it is safely incinerated. The electricity and heat generated from this process are then used to power homes, giving that waste a useful purpose rather than simply burying it.

Our recycling is different. Glass, cans, plastics and other recyclable materials are separated and recycled here in the UK, giving them the best chance of being turned into something new. That’s why sorting your waste correctly is so important. If the wrong items end up in the wrong bin – for example, cans mixed in with glass – the entire load can become contaminated and may no longer be suitable for recycling.

Even the temporary flooring beneath our new Waste Separation Station has a story to tell. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic, including old bin bags, proving that yesterday’s waste really can become tomorrow’s resource!

You can help in more ways than one

Research and our own experience show that when people take their rubbish home, they’re often more likely to recycle it correctly using the systems they know.

So, if you’re happy to take your waste with you, that’s fantastic. If not, our new separation stations are there for you to sort it before you leave.

It only takes a few minutes, but collectively those small actions make a significant difference.

What about dog waste and nappies?

Our dog bins haven’t gone anywhere and will continue to be emptied as normal. We simply ask that they’re kept for dog waste only (not cups!), so there’s always room for the next four-legged visitor and they’re less likely to fill up on busy beach days.

There is also a dedicated nappy disposal bin in the accessible toilet, or alternatively both dog waste and nappies can be placed in the black general waste bins within the separation station.

The Beach Café also retains its own bins for customers using the café.

Working together for Wells Beach

We know changing habits takes time, and we’re helping with clear signage, easy-to-use lids, straightforward labelling and support from our team on site.

Ultimately, this isn’t about making things more complicated. It’s about making it easier for all of us to play our part.

Every pop bottle, sandwich wrapper and glass bottle sorted correctly helps reduce waste, protect wildlife and preserve the coast for future generations.

The next time you leave Wells Beach, before you tie up that carrier bag, please take a moment to separate it. Together, those few extra minutes will help keep this stretch of Norfolk coastline cleaner, greener and just as special for everyone who visits after you.

Read more about our WONDER strategy here.