WRAP launches new recycling performance benchmarks for local authorities
07 December 2009
New research by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) will help local authorities get the best from their investment in recycling services. Intensive analysis of the Government’s WasteDataFlow has produced performance benchmarks which will allow local authorities to see how their kerbside schemes are performing compared to other similar authorities and other similar schemes.
The report – ‘Analysis of kerbside dry recycling performance in England 2007/08’ – shows that around a quarter of the variation in performance is accounted for by social and geographical differences in the characteristics of the local area. It is sensible, therefore, for councils to compare themselves with councils with similar conditions. This report allows those comparisons to be made.
WRAP’s Director for Local Government Services, Phillip Ward, said: “These benchmarks will allow authorities to judge how well their services are performing and should throw light both on where the differences are occurring and what actions would improve the situation.
“All local authorities in England have now invested in some form of kerbside collection for dry recycling. WRAP is on-hand to help local authorities make the most of these benchmarks and identify targeted actions to squeeze more from their recycling collections.”
A key finding of the report is that there is no single service variable or area characteristic which explains variations in kerbside dry recycling performance. The analysis takes into consideration a wide range of factors, including population density, deprivation, whether the authority is rural or urban, local authority type, and kerbside recycling scheme type.
While each of these factors can influence kerbside dry recycling performance, the importance of each factor varies from scheme to scheme and probably depends on factors which are not measured, particularly how well the scheme is designed and implemented.
The report can be found at: http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/research_guidance/collections_recycling/benchmarking.html
Editor's notes:
About WRAP
1. WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.
2. Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
3. Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.
4. More information on all of WRAP's programmes can be found on www.wrap.org.uk
Sophie Hadden
WRAP Press Office
01295 819638
press.office@wrap.org.ukTel:
