Ecosurety Exploration Fund project with ReLondon receives National Recycling Award

A recycling pilot that delivered a 152% boost to recycling rates from purpose-built flats in Lambeth, has won an award in the Partnership Excellence – Public/Private sector category of MRW’s National Recycling Awards.

The MRW National Recycling Awards are considered the most prestigious awards in the recycling and resource management sector, with winning projects and teams recognised for their achievements within the industry and further along the supply chain.

Powered by the Ecosurety Exploration Fund, ReLondon’s Making Recycling Work for People in Flats 2.0 project was based on in-depth resident insights, and run by ReLondon together with the London Borough of Lambeth and Peabody, to explore new ways of increasing recycling from purpose-built flats.

Exceptional results

By adding food waste collections, refreshing and relaunching recycling facilities; and communicating with residents to make the right choices around recycling, four estates in the trial increased capture rates for recyclable materials, a 152% increase in recycling rates, a 45% reduction in food waste thrown away in the residual waste, and an average of 35% of food waste being put into the right bin. The report detailing the project and these findings can be found here.

The results were mainly driven by high food waste capture rates, which in some cases were comparable with those seen in local authority kerbside collections. It is these exceptional results that have been specifically recognised for the award.

Support for the sector

An updated Flats Recycling Package toolkit is now available for housing providers, building managers and service providers to use as they implement the Government’s collection and packaging reforms.

ReLondon Head of local authority support, Anthony Buchan, said: "ReLondon was delighted to receive the National Recycling Award for the Flats Recycling Package project. The recognition of the project; the partnership element of its delivery and the outstanding results show what can be achieved for Londoners living in flats.

"Residents want to recycle more and are willing to do so if they’re provided with more opportunities and improved facilities. This was very much a partnership project (with Peabody and Lambeth Council), made possible through funding from the Ecosurety Exploration Fund. We look forward to working with more boroughs to implement the flats recycling package."