Waste Management Strategy Research Top Liners Support Services November 2010

1. Waste Management StrategyResearch Top LinersSupport ServicesNovember 2010 www.crawley.gov.uk

2. Two Phased Research 1 Stakeholders • Lots of positives, fly tipping, procedures, improved working with contractor, range of door step recycling. • However, Contamination • Recycling rates • Messages to residents could be better • So…………. 2 Resident Research to investigate • Recycling rates • Items to recycle • Barriers to recycling • Collection days and times • Containers • GREENBin service • Getting the message out www.crawley.gov.uk

3. 5,000 Households Summer 2010 • 5,020 questionnaires, randomly • 1,510 returned = 30% • All neighbourhoods represented • Highest Furnace Green; nearly 1 in 4 (39.6%); lowest Broadfield; just over 1 in 5 (21.8%) • Most lived in houses • 11% lived in flat • 1 in 5 of Northgate & Southgate respondents lived flats • 18% Bewbush respondents lived flats • Over representation older people • 35% aged 40-59 yrs • 29% aged 60-79 yrs www.crawley.gov.uk

4. Recycling Habits • Lots of Recycling going on! • As well as REDtop bins • Only 0.7% not recycling! • Almost all do it as matter of course • Some very positive comments about Council’s REDtop recycling – one bin • Neighbourhood Recycling Centres still used; 7 in 10 do not want them removed • “…I wouldn’t be able to recycle all my stuff without it”. • “because there are certain items which cannot be recycled at home and these items would end up as landfill” • “it is useful if I am away for door collections and miss the fortnightly collection” • “it encourages people to recycle” • Metcalf Way – more periodic use; only 15% do not use www.crawley.gov.uk

5. Barriers to Recycling • Unsure of what can be recycled • Especially plastics; yogurt pots; plastic food containers • Lack of storage space • Wrong sort of information • Only 7% say they have never receive information • Issue is “type” of information • What to recycle (the detail) • “don’t understand why we can’t give you all these damned food packaging. Like the ready meal things. They look the same as plastic milk and coke bottles, but these get thrown. They are a large part of our waste; it seems shameful” • Bank holidays and changes to collections • How to recycle other goods not put in REDtop and where to go • Not understanding what happens to recycled goods “Council takes all the rubbish and recycling to same landfill site, so what’s the point” www.crawley.gov.uk

6. Encouraging Recycling • 3 in 10 thought better information • 3 in 10 thought incentive schemes - particularly Broadfield & West Green • Compulsory recycling supported more in Langley Green – 36% www.crawley.gov.uk

7. Neighbourhood Recycling Centres • One quarter never use them • But… one third use them as least monthly • 7 in 10not in favour of removal • West Green respondents least likely to use them but most likely to want to keep them! 76% don’t want them removed • Reasons to retain • Removal would encourage fly tipping • Acts as overspill for collection service • Offers alternatives for recycling www.crawley.gov.uk

8. Items to take to Neighbourhood Recycling Centres • Over half – small electrical goods • Especially Broadfield – 7 in 10; Bewbush and West Green – 6 in 10 • Batteries • Continue textiles and clothing • CD’s, DVD’s, videos etc more popular Pound Hill, Three Bridges, Furnace Green www.crawley.gov.uk

9. Metcalf Way • Only 15% don’t use it; cf almost quarter who do not use Neighbourhood Recycling Centres • Similar usage patterns to Neighbourhood Recycling Centres – one third use it at least monthly • Well used for green waste www.crawley.gov.uk

10. GREENBin Service • 8 in 10 did not use service • Rises to 9 in 10 for Bewbush • Varied reasons for not using the Service • Metcalf Way used instead • Composting at home • Cost as issue • Approx 1 in 5 would use periodic collection service; cost important factor www.crawley.gov.uk

11. What to recycle? • Quite good levels of understanding generally, but……. • Confusion over plastics in particular; 1 in 5 think they can recycle……. • Yogurt pots • Plastic food containers • Margarine tubs • Cling films • Plastic bags www.crawley.gov.uk

12. Which items can I recycle? • Plastics and Polystyrene stand out…… www.crawley.gov.uk

13. Written Information • Only 7% received No information • Halfreceive & keep – most likely in Pound Hill & Furnace Green • Third receive but don’t keep • Design & clarity of information well regarded • “Sufficiency” of information dips slightly; confirming other findings on • What to recycle • Needing more detail • Comments on where to find recycling points www.crawley.gov.uk

14. Frequency of giving out information • Most would like information only when things change • Also applies when people move house www.crawley.gov.uk

15. Council Website • Only 6% use it to get information • Age profile a factor but • Half still had a view – so presumably some had tried/had perceived views • Users tend to be happy; compliments about clarity • Non users : • Information is “buried” – difficult to navigate • Younger people more responsive to online and texts than older respondents • Website not necessarily great for alerts; emails preferred www.crawley.gov.uk

16. Preferred Ways of receiving information • Direct mail tops the bill! Two thirds vote for this • Little variation across age groups or neighbourhoods • Older prefer written word – papers, Crawley Live • Younger more receptive to online and texts • Texts are more popular across all age groups when it comes to alerts for unavoidable disruptions www.crawley.gov.uk

17. Service Delivery • Two thirds want same day of week • Hardly any support for refuse and recycling on different days • Three quarters happy with service collection as is • Two weekly collections not at all popular • Lots of different views on containers for waste and recycling…… www.crawley.gov.uk

18. What container? • One size does not fit all! • Little support for large wheeled bin for refuse and smaller one for recycling • 2 large wheeled bins most preferred in Maidenbower • Comments on black bags • Wheeled bins for refuse more hygienic www.crawley.gov.uk

19. Getting Involved with Waste Management • 62 respondents indicated a willingness to act as a Voluntary Waste Reduction Adviser • 11 volunteers from Ifield • None from Tilgate • All other neighbourhoods between 2 and 7 www.crawley.gov.uk

20. Some thoughts on Implications of the Findings • The importance of recycling seems to be getting through, evidenced by: • Support for larger recycling containers than refuse • Range of items; places to recycle – more • Value of Neighbourhood Recycling Centres – don’t remove them • Value of Metcalf Way – only 15% don’t use it • Recycling habits – part of routine • Support for on street recycling bins especially Northgate • Existing refuse/recycling service well liked by many www.crawley.gov.uk

21. Things to think about….. • Information is key…. (seems to be the priority) • The dilemma of addressing the specifics like plastics; which is complicated, yet keeping it SIMPLE • Explaining the outcomes of contamination needs explaining, but in SIMPLE terms – what happens if it goes wrong? • Where other recyclable items not collected in REDtops can be recycled • Better information on items that can be recycled at each neighbourhood centre • Retaining variety of options important www.crawley.gov.uk

22. More things to think about…? • Ways to encourage greater use of website • Is information “buried”? Can it be improved? • But it won’t reach everyone • Not necessarily the best way to give alerting information • Encourage retention of written information • Carry on with calendars • Charts for neighbourhood recycling • Special articles to raise the profile of recycling; do an article specifically on plastics? Explain what happens to recycling; why it’s important NOT to contaminate • Joined up thinking……. When tenants move, ensure refuse/recycling information is sent to them; private householders via Council Tax www.crawley.gov.uk

23. Still thinking!........ • Confusion re: plastics needs addressing • Manufacturers? • CBC information • Giving choice on collection containers – but how realistic is this? • If Council can’t pay for the wheeled bin, at least give the option and perhaps negotiate with suppliers for reduced costs for householders? • Worth considering periodic collection service for green waste, but cost needs careful consideration; might be better to think of other communal options? And/or using Waste Reduction advisers? • 62 respondents willing to help with waste reduction advise; all neighbourhoods except Tilgate represented; what next? How best to use? • Help with home composting? www.crawley.gov.uk