The findings come as part of a two-year project Resource London – a partnership between the London Waste and Recycling Board and WRAP – has been undertaking with the Peabody Housing Association to explore “barriers to recycling”.
Releasing the findings of the project, Resource London stated that pilot schemes run across London have shown that the introduction of the below consistent package of measures can boost recycling by a quarter.
The update also stated that over a nine-month intervention period, there was a 22% increase in capture rates (from 38.2% to 46.8%) and a 26% increase in recycling rates (from 10.7% to 13.4%).
There was also an improvement in the contamination rate which decreased by 24% (from 30.7% to 23.4%), and Resource London says it is now working with councils and housing associations in London to get the Flats Recycling Package introduced.
‘Highly successful’
Commenting on the findings, environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “Congratulations to Resource London on this highly successful scheme to help people living in the capital recycle more of their waste.
“This kind of innovation will help us deliver on the aims of our landmark Resources and Waste Strategy, which sets out how we will go further and faster to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Our new Environment Bill will also allow us to stipulate the core materials which must be collected for recycling from households, including blocks of flats, such as plastics, glass and paper.
“I hope this report can help other local authorities to ramp up the quality and quantity of materials they collect from blocks of purpose-built flats for recycling.”
Antony Buchan, head of programming at Resource London added:“We ran this project quite simply because we need to increase recycling rates in flats. The results speak for themselves: this package of measures improves recycling behaviour. We are working with councils across London now to implement the recommendations. Achieving waste and recycling targets in London means we all have to do our bit; and our findings show that residents are ready and willing to recycle if the conditions are right.”
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