Waltham Forest launches recycling incentives scheme
Waltham Forest council in north London has launched a recycling incentives scheme in a bid to encourage residents in flats to increase the amount that they recycle.
The scheme is being run by Local Green Points, and is being rolled out to an estimated 17,000 purpose built flats across the borough.
In 2014/15, Waltham Forest achieved an overall recycling rate of 35.5% – up from 32.67% the previous year.
Information packs have been sent out to residents in participating properties to coincide with the launch of the scheme last week.
Flat residents in Waltham Forest who engage with the Local Green Points scheme will be rewarded points as a community, based on the weight of their communal recycling and residual waste bins. The points can then be traded for discounts in local shops and cafes, or donated to local projects.
Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment for Waltham Forest council, said: “We are always looking for new and innovative ways to encourage our residents to recycle more and throw out less, and we know that recycling in flats lags some way behind street level properties.
“This is a great scheme as residents living in flats will be able to earn points for reducing the amount of rubbish thrown out and increasing recycling; these points can be donated to some fantastic local charities in Waltham Forest or spent on iTunes, M&S vouchers, swims at our leisure centre and many other great rewards.”
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Waste team completes Belgian cycle challenge
A team of 50 waste management professionals completed a 200-miles charity cycle ride from Kent to Ghent in Belgium raising over £40,000.
37 cyclists and nine support team members took part in the challenge from 12-15 May. Charities to benefit from funds raised including the Alzeihmer’s Society, Sue Ryder, Help for Heroes and Action for Children.
Julian Glasspole, managing director of Vehicle Weighing Solutions (VWS), helped to organise the event and cycled the full distance, and his company sponsored shirts and provided support staff.
He said: “We are all blown away by the amount of money that has been raised and also by the time, money and resources given by the companies and individuals involved in the event.
“A big thank you to the support teams who were awesome, mapping out the routes, keeping us safe and looking after the bikes. It was hard work at times, especially against sometimes strong head winds, but also a huge amount of fun.”
CMS SupaTrak, Epic Media, Scarab Sweepers, Dennis Eagle, Riney, Simply Waste and Collett Transport Services all supported the event by either providing support staff or sponsoring cycle shirts.
Donations to Julian’s chosen charity, Sue Ryder, can still be made on his JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/julianmartinvws.
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Powerday supports London boxing club
An iconic amateur boxing club in north London has undergone a quarter of a million pound refurbishment – with support from waste management firm Powerday.
The Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club reopened its doors last week after a £250,000 refurbishment, thanks to the London Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Powerday Development Programme, in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Powerday has sponsored London ABA since 2011 with the aim of building on the London 2012 Olympic Games as a catalyst for change and growth in the sport of amateur boxing.
Thanks to the sponsorship the club moved into a new purpose built space with new equipment and changing facilities.
Commenting Mick Delaney, Dale Youth ABC Head Coach said: “Being presented with this state of the art gym will enable us to expand our opening hours, increase our membership and do what we do best, produce national champions, be a focus for pride in the local community and turn out generations of good citizens. A very big thank you to the London ABA, Powerday and the council for putting together this gym, a gym The Dale can be really proud of.”
Mick Crossan, chairman of Powerday, who attended the opening event with his son Edward last week said: “I’m delighted that the Powerday Development programme has been able to support this initiative for the Club, the benefits it provides to local young people will be felt throughout the community for generations. These new facilities will enable the club to continue its fantastic work, playing a pivotal role in the local community and producing boxing champions of the future.”
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Alupro expands council communications resources
The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) has extended its range of free resources to help local authorities encourage residents to recycle aluminium packaging throughout the year.
Communications materials, including advertisement templates, animated banners and press materials, are available permanently via the media library on the Alupro website.
Alupro resources can be used to support seasonal campaigns reminding residents to recycle their Valentine’s Day chocolate and Easter egg wrappers, summer picnic packaging and Christmas party food.
For the summer months new resources have been added linking recycling to major national and international events; including the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations, Euro 2016 football and, launching later in the summer, the Olympics. There are also a range of poster templates to support the Recycle Now campaign.
Alupro marketing & communications manager Diana Caldwell, said: “We know that time and budgets are tight for local authorities but it’s important to keep reminding residents about what and how to recycle throughout the year; so our free materials are designed to be easy to download, adapt and use in a campaign without incurring the costs of creating and developing a campaign from scratch. We can also help to create the artwork if necessary.”
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Stockport in organic waste campaign
Stockport council is encouraging residents to reduce and recycle their garden waste as part of its ‘Right Thing, Right Bin’ initiative.
The encouragement comes as the council looks to build its 60.7% recycling rate for 2014/15 and ahead of an anticipated increase in the amount of garden waste produced over May and June.
As part of the campaign, the council is also appealing to residents to carry out home composting, if they do not wish to use the combined food and garden waste collection service.
Caroline Simpson, corporate director for place at Stockport council, said: “Home composting your garden waste is even more beneficial than recycling in your green bin. It’s an inexpensive, natural process that transforms your garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for your garden.
“Tea bags, vegetable peelings, crushed egg shells and grass cuttings are just a few of the things that can help to make compost.
“Compost improves your soils condition and your plants and flowers will love it – it really is a win-win solution for garden waste and vegetable peelings.”
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