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Hounslow

• Local authority: London Borough of Hounslow
• Area: 5,852 hectares
• Population: 213,000
• Waste management contract: DSO / Ealing Community Transport Recycling (ECT) Ltd
• Recycling subcontractor: ECT
• Recycling Rate: (1999/2000): 17.8 %

Collection Methods

• Weekly multi-material 'green box' kerbside collections are operated by Ealing Community Transport Recycling, a not for profit community group. Kerbside collections take newspapers and magazines, junk mail, household paper, glass jars and bottles, food tins and drinks cans, textiles, clothes and shoes, aluminium foil and motor oil. Collections are carried out using caged vehicles with separate compartments for each material. Boxes are hooked onto the side of the vehicle so that crews can easily sort materials into different compartments. Any 'contaminants' are left in the green box with an explanatory card to remind residents what can and can't be recycled. Sorting at the kerbside prevents the needs for an additional Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Compartments are emptied separately using a forklift truck at the depot and tipped directly into storage skips or bulking bays for transportation to reprocessors.
• High-rise collections are operated by caretakers from the Housing Department. The collections are operated in six 22 storey towers on an estate. Each resident has a storage basket with handles and a sticker stating what can be collected. Baskets are left out on each landing on a set collection day and material is collected in wheeled bins using the lift. Materials are sorted at ground level and stored in a garage next to the towers.
• A partnership with London Borough of Richmond for glass and can collections.
• 1 Civic amenity site
• 50 recycling sites

Other Initiatives

Home composting

Hounslow has supplied 5,700 composters to residents. Each has a 220 litre compost bin with a hatch for easy access, and is supplied with a kitchen bin - a small green bin with a lid and a handle for storing fruit and vegetable peelings before transferring them to the composter. The kitchen bins are very popular with residents because they don't have to go out to the composter every day, this in turn boosts compliance during the winter. Seasonal newsletters are sent to residents during the first year with hints and tips on how to compost, and there is a number to call for advice. Residents can attend a training workshop, run in conjunction with HDRA.

Garden waste collection

In Summer 1999 Hounslow piloted a garden waste collection. Two areas of 2,500 households were chosen, where targeted home composting promotions had not occurred. Residents were sent a leaflet explaining the scheme and were invited to purchase bags at £1 each, obtained by post or from the council offices. The pilot lasted for three months and collections took place once a fortnight on a Saturday. Last summer the scheme was expanded to cover four areas of 2,500 households. Following feedback from residents the price of the bag was reduced to £0.50. The bags are picked up using a spare refuse truck and caged vehicle, so extra vehicles are not required. In Summer 2001 the scheme will run from April until October to facilitate the collection of autumn leaves. The bags purchased for the pilot are non-compostible.

Community Composting

Green waste is taken to the civic amenity site, composted and then sold back to the public.

Bring Sites

To improve participation rates, some sites on pricontinued vate estates have sound-proofed glass banks. Other sites have been landscaped to improve the appearance of the local area, for example bushes to screen the site.

Local Waste Action Group

Brentford Recycling Action Group (BRAG) is a resident-led group that cares about the local environment and is committed to promoting waste reduction and recycling in Brentford. The group devised a questionnaire with local residents to find out more about their recycling knowledge. It has monitored participation in the green box scheme and produced an A-Z guide informing residents how they can reduce, reuse and recycle their waste. Another waste action group is planned for 2001.

Real Nappy Campaign

Hounslow is working with other west London boroughs to promote real nappies. The group has produced an information sheet for parents about real nappies and the nappy washing service that is provided. Posters have been distributed to local GPs and community groups.

Christmas Tree Recycling

Residents are encouraged to take their Christmas trees to one of eight local sites to be chipped. The chippings are used on parks as mulch or sent for composting with green waste.

Kerbside Destination

On all recycled tonnage Hounslow receives a full (kerbside) or 90 per cent (bring system) recycling credit of £40 per tonne.

ECT organises the end users of materials collected and retains income from the sale of materials collected in multi-material kerbside collections: newspapers and magazines; glass bottles and jars; food tins; drinks cans; kitchen card; foil and engine oil.

Costs

The cost of kerbside collections is between £8 and £15 per household per year, depending on the contract, and it is offset by the sale of materials.

Composting costs £15 per household including composter, kitchen bin, delivery and leaflets. The composter pays for

itself in less than two years. ²⁷

Other Schemes in the area

• Brownie groups operate a cork recycling scheme.
• Alcan collects from schools and businesses.
• Aylesford Newsprint collects from schools and community groups.
• Oxfam, TRAID and Salvation Army operate a textile collection.

Keys to success

• Constant promotion to all sectors of the community including talks to schools and community groups. This includes leaflets translated into several languages telling residents where they can recycle different items.
• A quarterly newsletter
• Using a variety of collection methods, including a weekly multi-material kerbside collection.
• A council partnership with not for profit community group ECT appeals to the public. Dan Waltzer of ECT said: "We have a realistic outlook - financially and operationally, and an understanding of local government."
• Strong support from council members.
• All promotional work contributes towards more recycling which generates recycling credits.

Educational and promotional activities

• Targeted door knocking campaigns in poor participation areas.
• Poster and leaflet campaigns.
• Real nappy campaigns - targeted and borough wide.
• Work with schools, and the development of an education unit at the civic amenity site.
• Community waste action group, BRAG involved in promoting reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.

Markets

Hounslow has overcome any potential market problems by not relying on one single contractor. Kate Radford, principal recycling officer, said: "If our bring system contractor could not take our glass or cans anymore, we would be able to approach ECT, our kerbside contractor. So we always have a few options."

Future targets

Hounslow is aiming to reach a recycling rate of 24 per cent by 2005. To achieve this, the council is planning to extend its garden waste collection scheme and to introduce the recycling of Yellow Pages and paint at its CAsite. Plastic recycling will take place within the next few years.

Contact

The Recycling Team
Environmental Services Department
London Borough of Hounslow
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW3 4DN

Tel: 020 8583 5060
Fax: 020 8583 5060
Email: recycling@hounslow.gov.uk
Web site: www.hounslow.gov.uk

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