Bexley council introduced the scheme for residents living in flats in October 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story).
The council measures waste and recycling levels in East Thamesmead, the initial test area of the scheme, every three months. If a reduction in waste and an increase in recycling are seen then the council awards green points to the residents which have signed up to the initiative.
The points can be redeemed against eco products or vouchers for local retailers, or donated to one of the three nominated charities which are: The Youth Awareness Project, MyBnk and Trees for Cities.
Improvement
Yesterday, the council said it had handed out its first round of green points to local residents and claimed that already the recycling rate in the area was showing signs of improvement. A quarter of households in the test area have signed up to take part.
Councillor Gareth Bacon, Bexleys cabinet member for environment, said: Were the first council in the country to participate in the Local Green Points scheme, and its very exciting to see Bexley residents and local retailers getting behind it so quickly. Already 25% of households in the phase 1 area have activated their accounts and with 30 local retailers signed up too, were off to a flying start.
Each household which has signed up so far is set to receive 1,000 points, and the three charity projects will also receive 100,000 points each. Every 400 points is worth 1, meaning each household is set to receive 2.50 and the charities 250.
The initial funding for the scheme came from the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWaRB) which provided 107,000. The council said that the cost of the green points going forward was being offset by savings in waste disposal charges and increased income from recycling materials.
Schemes
Local Green Points is a scheme devised by recycling incentives company Green Rewards, social marketing firm Envirocomms and the environmental consultancy Resources and Waste Advisory (RWA) Group.
Unlike other schemes it is said to be geared waste prevention and reduction, as well as community, rather than individual rewards.
It is one of a number of recycling reward schemes that are offered in the UK. American-based company Recyclebank has launched initiatives in the London borough of Lambeth (see letsrecycle.com story), Windsor and Maidenhead and Halton.
Birmingham city council has taken another approach by offering residents nectar points in reward for paper recycling (see letsrecycle.com story).
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