Councils hail magic of compulsory recycling

Speaking at a London Remade conference on “Developing a Better Recycling Service” yesterday, local authorities from Bromley to Barnet revealed that compulsory recycling services had created a “step change” in recycling in their boroughs.

In Harrow, compulsory recycling helped to boost dry recycling rates by 50% in the first year with recycling tonnages in Barnet rising by 28% in the first year after its scheme was introduced.

However, although the local authorities stressed the importance of helping residents to comply with their schemes- through education and publicity campaigns – they admitted that it was the idea of the legislation – rather than its bite – which generated the real results.

Andrew Baker, waste strategy officer at the London Borough of Harrow, explained that calling a service compulsory itself generated a huge change in behaviour towards recycling.

He said: “At the moment we don't enforce it at all. The word compulsory in the literature has a magical effect.”

John Woodruff, head of waste management at the London borough of Bromley, added: “The good news is that we have not fined anyone. One of the beauties of this legislation is to speak softly and carry a big stick.”

Serious

Barnet council – which was the first to roll out compulsory recycling in early 2005 (see letsrecycle.com story) said that it was important to be serious about the possibility of fining residents in order for a scheme to work.

However, the council admitted that it had switched from monitoring offenders over the long term to monitoring them over a period of just three weeks before issuing them with a warning letter – as the first letter always generated the most positive responses.

And, since Barnet introduced compulsory recycling in 2005 , its two enforcement officers have only issued 6 notices to alert householders that the council is going to start evidence for a prosecution for putting the wrong rubbish in the wrong bin, under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 – and none have lead to a prosecution.

Michael Lai, group manager for waste and sustainability at Barnet council said: “Our experience is similar to John's – everyone has ultimately taken part.”

Tower Hamlets

In Tower Hamlets council – which came bottom of the recycling league table in 2006/07- the council's waste policy and development manager Kevin Crook explained that it was now considering compulsory recycling because it needed to boost its current 16% recycling rate.

This is particularly important because the largely high-rise borough is moving away from doorstep recycling collections for flats towards more cost-effective communal recycling facilities- which could discourage participation.

Mr Crook said: “We want to prevent a huge loss in tonnage as we move from doorstep to communal. With the lowest recycling rate in London we don't want to be moving down any more. We will be making recycling compulsory subject to cabinet approval later this year.”