This comes as Defra peer Lord Goldsmith yesterday (1 February) said the consultation responses on its Waste Prevention Programme are due “soon”.
The scheme in Surrey is centred around an online platform which will deliver “targeted communications and behaviour change techniques”.
Initially open to residents in Elmbridge, people who sign up to Rethink Waste will be able to take part in activities, both online and offline, that can help reduce waste at home and when out and about.
Content includes videos, quizzes, blogs, pledges, a zero-waste map and lots of tips, advice and resources on how to reduce waste. Dashboards also show the amount of carbon savings residents have made through their actions.
Once activities are completed, residents are rewarded with points that can be used to enter competitions with prizes including iPads and TVs or make donations to charities or local community groups.
Neil Dallen, chairman of the Surrey Environment Partnership said: “Waste reduction in Surrey is one of SEP’s priorities in 2021-22 and with this trial we hope to find a way to give residents the tools they need to reduce the amount of waste they produce. If successful, we may look to roll it out in other areas of Surrey, which we believe could provide significant benefit for the environment and make savings for Surrey councils.”
Partnership
The scheme is being managed by the SEP, made up of Surrey county council and the region’s 11 district and borough councils.
The 12-month trial is being delivered by Greenredeem, which has “had success with similar schemes in other areas in of the UK, and with the support of Elmbridge borough council”. If the trial delivers positive results, it could be rolled out across the county.
Melanie Penfold, general manager of Greenredeem, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Surrey Environment Partnership and Elmbridge Borough Council on this new initiative to help reduce waste and tackle climate change. Never has it been more important to help empower individuals to take positive action”.
Programme
The news from Surrey arrived on the same day as Defra peer Lord Goldsmith said the Waste Prevention Plan consultation responses are due “soon”.
Defra consulted on its waste prevention programme in March 2021.
This set out priorities for action to manage resources and waste in accordance with the waste hierarchy – “which means preventing waste by, amongst other things increasing reuse, repair and remanufacture of products”.
When asked by Green peer Baroness Bennett what steps the government is taking to prevent companies destroying unsold or returned goods, Lord Goldsmith pointed to the consultation in his response.
He said: “Businesses are obliged to follow the waste hierarchy, set out in the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. This gives priority to preventing waste, and only then, in order, to reuse, recycling, recovery and last of all disposal. Failure to comply with this hierarchy can lead to enforcement action.
“Last year, we consulted on a new Waste Prevention Programme for England, which includes proposals to further clarify and enhance this approach. We expect to publish the response to this shortly”.
The consultation responses come at a busy time for Defra, which is also preparing its consultation responses for extended producer reponsbility, consistent collections and a deposit return scheme. These are still due for “early 2022”.
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