The campaign is being run by not-for-profit group Save Waste and Prosper (SWAP) and aims to visit 12,000 households in Westminster in June and July 2004.
It is hoped the campaign will especially increase participation in doorstep recycling collections from the rate of just 26% of residents. The council is also looking to increase its current recycling rate from 13.5% to meets its target to recycle 18% of household waste by 2005/06.
Councillor Alan Bradley, cabinet member for street environment, explained that Westminster council is improving recycling facilities but needs the residents to start using them.
He said: “We want to make recycling as easy as possible for out residents. Depending on the type of building residents live in, we either collect weekly directly from the doorstep, or have introduced recycling centres situated within easy reach of home. Despite this only 26% of residents with a doorstep collection service currently recycle.”
A team of seven door- knockers from SWAP will provide residents with guidance on recycling facilities and will be able to arrange delivery of kerbside boxes and baskets where needed.
Dr Elaine Kerrell, director of research at SWAP, said: “The research that SWAP carried out into key performance indicators for waste awareness campaigns proved conclusively that door-knocking can be an effective way of communicating recycling messages and increasing participation in recycling.”
She added: “By speaking to residents face-to-face, the door knocking team will be encouraging residents to take part in the kerbside recycling scheme and maximise the amount recycled.”
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