Recycling and Sustainability: Our Borough's Commitment

We are committed to raising the borough's recycling performance with a clear, measurable goal: a 70% recycling rate by 2030. This recycling and sustainability strategy focuses on reducing landfill, increasing reuse and improving the overall circularity of materials. Our approach to waste reduction and urban recycling balances ambitious targets with practical steps across collection, transfer, and reuse networks.

The borough's waste separation system combines kerbside collections, dedicated food waste bins, and separate glass, paper and card rounds with targeted textile and small electrical collection points. These mixed-model collection systems reflect a tailored recycling approach: some streets operate a co-mingled service for dry recyclables while others use separate-stream sorting at source. Local recycling activity ranges from household composting uptake to business-facing waste segregation, and we are expanding programmes for bulky item reuse to divert more material from disposal.

Local transfer stations underpin efficient materials handling: strategically located facilities receive, consolidate and prepare recyclables for processing without the need for long-haul transport. A network of transfer hubs across the borough shortens distances to reprocessors, reduces vehicle miles and supports rapid sorting and baling of paper, glass, plastics and organics. Key operational priorities at these transfer points include sorting accuracy, contamination reduction and safe temporary storage before onward transport.

Partnerships with Charities and Reuse Organisations

Working with local charities and social enterprises is central to increasing reuse and extending the life of goods. We partner with a range of charities to collect and redistribute clothing, furniture and working appliances, and to offer community-led reuse initiatives. These collaborations help translate waste diversion goals into real social and environmental benefits, providing affordable household goods while preventing useful items from entering the waste stream.

How Charity Partnerships Strengthen Recycling Programmes

Charity and community partnerships enable targeted reuse pathways for items that would otherwise be collected as residual waste. Through structured collection routes and transfer-station handovers, charities receive sorted donations for refurbishment and redistribution. Our work with reuse organisations also supports local employment and volunteer opportunities, helping to embed sustainable recycling practices at the neighbourhood level.

Key collaborative initiatives include:

• Local donation points integrated with kerbside bulky collection services
• Scheduled handover procedures at transfer stations for furniture and appliances
• Joint campaigns to reduce contamination and increase the quality of collected recyclables

To make collections cleaner and quieter we have begun rolling out low-carbon vans and alternative fuel vehicles across collection routes. The fleet transition includes a mix of battery electric vans, plug-in hybrids and Euro VI low-emission models where immediate electrification is not yet feasible. These low-emission collection vehicles contribute to lower local air pollution, reduced noise and a smaller operational carbon footprint for our waste services.

Alongside vehicle upgrades, route optimisation and load consolidation reduce vehicle miles travelled and boost collection efficiency. We are investing in telematics and scheduling software to ensure that each collection run minimises empty running and idle time. These operational improvements complement the rollout of electric and low-carbon vehicles to deliver meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste management.

Our circular economy approach emphasises material stewardship: procurement policies favour recycled-content products, and contracts encourage manufacturers and suppliers to take back packaging and end-of-life materials. By creating markets for secondary materials and prioritising procurement that values recycled inputs, we can close material loops and stimulate local recycling infrastructure investment.

Monitoring progress and transparency are crucial. We publish periodic performance reports tracking the borough's recycling rate, contamination levels, transfer-station throughput and the percentage of collections completed with low-carbon vehicles. These metrics feed into our long-term plan to meet and exceed the 70% recycling target and to steadily reduce the borough's waste-related emissions.

Priority milestones include increased capture of food and organic waste, higher textile reuse rates through charity partners, and a progressive replacement of conventional collection vans with low-emission alternatives. Achieving these milestones will rely on coordinated efforts across collection crews, transfer stations, processing partners and the voluntary sector.

Our vision for sustainable recycling and waste management combines practical infrastructure improvements, close partnerships with charities and social enterprises, and a strong commitment to low-carbon operations. By aligning the borough's recycling programmes, transfer-station network, and fleet modernisation we aim to deliver a resilient, equitable and low-impact waste system that supports community wellbeing and environmental protection.