Interventions rolled out as part of Ecosurety funded project to boost recycling from flats

Each estate will have a donation bank for small electrical appliances in a central location, where residents will be able to recycle items such as toasters and irons.

To raise awareness and encourage action, there will be a communal ‘clear-out day’ followed by two further pop-up collections to support residents.

New food waste service

The estates will all receive a new food waste service which will test two new interventions for the first time.

This includes pedal-operated housing units to help combat the ‘yuck’ factor associated with food waste and to address resident’s potential concerns around COVID-19, plus smaller food waste bins that can be hooked to the inside of kitchen cabinets.

Results shared widely

Purpose-built flats make up 37% of London’s residential accommodation, and nearly all new-build properties in the city are purpose-built flats. By 2030, nearly half of London households are expected to live in flats like these, and yet previous ReLondon analysis showed that recycling rates on 12 pilot estates in London were less than a third of the overall recycling rate in the capital.

The Lambeth project will be evaluated by doing a comprehensive analysis of all waste across each estate before, during and after the project. The results will then be shared more widely with local authorities and housing providers to help scale up simple but effective recycling interventions.

Crucial that recycling is made easier

Wayne Hubbard, CEO of ReLondon, said “We know that recycling is most effective when residents are motivated, have the right information, and find it easy to recycle – so we’ve ensured that these new interventions are based on these critical factors. If we’re going to meet recycling targets as part of tackling the climate emergency, we urgently need to increase recycling in purpose-built flats – and we’re confident this initiative will help to do just that.”

Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues said "For London to be a zero-waste city and tackle the climate emergency, it’s crucial that recycling is made easier for people living in flats. The Mayor supports boroughs directly and through Relondon to deliver their Reduction and Recycling Plans and achieve their waste targets."

"The flats recycling project is a key part of this, having improved recycling rates where they have been historically very low. The expansion of this excellent work supports residents of Lambeth to recycle even more materials easily and I look forward to seeing even more estates and boroughs come on board.”

Find out more about the Maximising recycling from purpose built flats project.