February 2020

NORWICH CITY COUNCIL Case study: Maximising food waste collections

WRAP | Maximising food waste collections 2

MAXIMISING FOOD WASTE COLLECTIONS

Boosting recycling

In 2018, WRAP supported Norwich City Council in delivering this package of interventions in order to overcome the traditional barriers to participation and to try and boost the authority’s poorly performing food waste collection service.

The objective was to increase food waste capture; overall tonnage of food waste collected for processing; and increase tonnage of food waste diverted from disposal. In addition to support and advice on project planning and implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, Norwich were provided with a grant of £60,000 from WRAP, to fund:

• Design, production and printing of communications materials (see Images 1 – 3), including:

Stickersforresidualbins

Printingoncaddyliners

Ayears’supplyofprintedcaddyliners

•Deliveryofleafletsandlinerstohouseholdsandapplicationofstickerstowheeledbins

• Contribution towards the cost of additional caddiesrequestedbyhouseholdersasaresultofthe intervention measures

Theseinterventionsweredeliveredtoapproximately57,000 households and Norwich were able to roll out theinterventionsinatwoweekdeliveryperiod.

Trainingwiththecrewsledtoanoperationallysmoothimplementationphasewherebydeliveryteamsworkedtogetherwellandsupportedotherson rounds who had more properties to deliver.

ResultsTheresultswereencouagingwiththeaveragedailycollectedtonnageincreasingbynearly40%,whileaveragedailycollectedrefusetonnagedecreasedbycloseto10%inthesameperiod.Thecostoftheinterventionswas£1.05perhousehold,andthecostper tonne increase in food waste was £69.75.

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MAXIMISING FOOD WASTE COLLECTIONSImage 2: “No Food Waste” Residual Bin StickerEnthusiastic residents

Therewasanaverageincreaseinyieldof15.1kg perhousehold,peryear,duringtheinterventions, and this was sustained for the duration of the six month post-intervention monitoring period. The uplift is greater than the averageyieldincreaseof12kgachievedinthe2013-15pilots.

Thepost-interventionperformanceis1.03kgperhouseholdperweek.Thereadyreckonerpredicts1.099-1.899,sothereisstillroomforimprovement.

Thisisinpartattributedtothedeliveryofeffectivetrainingwithcrewsandagencystaffand support from the collection contractor.

Alongsidetheupliftsinfoodwasteyieldandthereductioninresidualwaste,23%ofeligibleproperties requested additional food waste caddies, suggesting the interventions helped to revitalise enthusiasm for the service amongst lapsedusersorencourageduptakeamongstpropertiesthatmayneverhavepreviouslyparticipated in the scheme.

“The increase in food waste tonnage has far exceeded council officer and member expectations, and more encouragingly the

tonnages have remained stable since May. We have previously tried different methods of engaging with residents to increase food waste collections (door knocking, working with schools, newsletters etc.),

none of which have made much difference.

Although the logistics of the interventions required significant planning, support from WRAP gave us confidence that we were well

prepared before the roll out.”

Helen Lambert, Norwich Council

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MAXIMISING FOOD WASTE COLLECTIONS

Challenges

Norwich City Council experienced some challenges during the interventions. These included:

• Longleadtimesforthedeliveryoflinersand caddies, and managing distribution timescales and storage of equipment around this

• Managingthedeliveryofadditionalcaddyrequests and ensuring renewed enthusiasm fortheservicewasn’tthwartedbylongwaiting times

• Concernsaroundtheretentionofagencystaffforthedeliveryperiodandthepotentialimpactontimescalesandeffectivenessofdistribution

Image 3: Food Waste Caddy Liner Artwork

Fresh insightsAs part of the interventions, Biffa sent out a survey with 10,000 of the new caddies delivered to householders. The survey received 1,125 responses representing a 10% response rate. The results show:• Claimed participation rates in the food waste

servicerosebyover30%acrossthecity

• 34%ofnewuserscitedthecostoflinersandtheperceiveddirtyandmessynatureofthefood waste service as reasons for not having participatedpreviously

• Over50%ofneworlapsedusersstartedusing the food waste service as it is ‘better fortheenvironment’,withnearly50%citingtheprovisionoffreecaddylinersasareasonto participate

• 25%ofuserssaidfoodrecyclingiswhatthecouncil expects them to do

• Over90%ofrespondentssaidthatcaddylinersmakerecyclingtheirfoodwasteeasier,withasimilarpercentagesayingthattheongoingprovisionoffreecaddylinerswouldencouragethemtocontinuerecyclingfoodwaste

“Over 90% of respondents say the provision of caddy liners makes

recycling their food waste easier”

SuccessKey to achieving success with this project was: • Provisionoftrainingtoagencystaffand

operational crews to ensure a smooth roll out

• Full co-operation and support from collectioncontractor,Biffa,includingassistancerecruitingagencystaff

• Supportingcollectionscrewstoaccommodate additional participation on existing rounds

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MAXIMISING FOOD WASTE COLLECTIONS

Clear communications

A clear communication strategy emerges from these findings. By highlighting the environmental and social benefits of using the service, promoting recycling as being ‘good’, and providing free liners - the council has increased participation.

Addressing barriersThe interventions addressed a mix of barriers to householdfoodwasterecyclingincluding:

• Economic barriers through the provision of free caddies and liners

• Psychologicalbarriersthroughestablishinga new social norm using the‘Nofoodwaste’stickeroneverybinandthroughchallengingthebeliefthat‘foodwasteismessyorsmelly’

• Physicalbarriersthroughprovidingfreeliners

ConclusionsAfocusonthesocialandenvironmentalbenefitsoffoodwasterecycling,togetherwiththeprovision of free liners were strong incentives formanyhouseholdstoeithercommenceorre-commenceusingthefoodwasterecyclingservice.Theincreaseinaveragedailytonnagesremainedconsistent throughout the six month period followingtheprojectdelivery.

Surveyresultsalsosuggestthatrunningsimilarcampaigns in the future, in conjunction with the continueddistributionoffreecaddyliners,mayencourage continued participation of existing users and could recruit new users to the food wasterecyclingservice.

“Survey results suggest that running similar campaigns in the future will encourage continued

participation from householders”

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WRAP’s vision is a world in which resources are used sustainably.

Our mission is to accelerate the move to a sustainable resource- efficient economy through re- inventing how we design, produce and sell products; re- thinking how we use and consume products; and re- defining what is possible through re- use and recycling.

Find out more at www.wrap.org.uk

WeworkwithlocalauthoritiesacrossEngland,helpingthemtoelevatetheirrecyclingandwasteservices.

IfyouareinterestedinreceivingsupportfromWRAP,we’dlovetohearfromyou.Pleaseemailusatlasupport@wrap.org.uk.

Budget focused One to one suppport

Performance boosting Technical guidance

Tried and tested Campaign materials

wrap.org.uk/local-authorities