Plastic Fantastic

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Plastic Fantastic Jody Sherratt Streetscene
Awareness and Liaison Manager
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But where is Vale Royal ?

• Located in the Heart of Cheshire

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Who are we?

• Population of 124,500
• 53,000 Households
• Alternate weekly three stream collections
• Dry Recyclates, Green Waste, Residual Waste
• 42 recycling rate 05/6, 45 06/07
• Best performing authority in North West England

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Three key elements to a successful
scheme 1 Secure a
suitable end market 2 Get the public
message right 3 Get the collection method
right
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1. Secure a sustainable end market!

• Before introducing any new scheme remember
• Only collect what your local market can process
  (eg all plastic or just bottles)
• Ensure you have a good long term sustainable
  market
• Make sure you can meet the specification they
  require!

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2. Get the message right! Time for a quick pop
quiz!!Remember you are the EXPERTS??
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Can you give one example of a plastic bottle for
each of these types??
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If you cant how can you expect your residents
to??The answer Keep it simple!
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2. Get the message right!

• Customer engagement is key selling any product,
  be it recycling or beans!
• Most resident do not know or want to know the
  different plastic types.
• But why try to teach an old dog new tricks?
• JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE!!

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Get the message right!
Simplicity is key strong visuals and slogans

• If its bottle shaped and plastic it can be
  recycled slogan
• Bottle shaped leaflets
• Doorstepping using branded water

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Get the message right!

• Engage the press, they need to understand the
  scheme just as much as your residents.
• 93 of residents have a good knowledge of what
  plastic they can recycle

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3. Get the collection method right !

• If your are unsure always conduct a trial
• 3 month, 2000 property trial in September 2005
• 1,000 on 55L red boxes and 1,000 on 240L wheeled
  bins.
• Regular monitoring of participation, set out and
  satisfaction.

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Get the collection method right !

• The results showed
• 82 preference for the box compared to just 28
  with the wheeled bin.
• Participation rates, Box 80 Bin 65
• Although participation was lower, tonnage per
  household was higher in the bin trial area.
• 98 stated they would use the plastic scheme is
  it continues after the trial.
• Overall capture rates in other dry recyclables
  rose by 14 in the trial area

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Get the collection method right !

• Full scheme was introduced to 80 of households
  in August 2006.
• Based on research the decision was to use 55L red
  boxes.
• To address the tonnage issue all houses were
  offered more than one box.

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The Results

• But was introducing plastic worth it?
• 474 tonnes of plastic bottles in the first yr
• 11.25kg/hh above the 10kg/hh benchmark set out
  by WRAP.
• Contributing an additional 1 to the Boroughs
  overall recycling rate.
• Capture of other materials has also risen,
  increasing the overall recycling rate to by 3
• Minimum contamination resulting in no bad loads

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Onwards and upwards!

• But what is the next stage?
• 3,000 property expansion using GPS data to asses
  where round capacity exists
• Review the feasibility of covering the remaining
  rural areas with the scheme.
• Maximise noise from the Recycle Now TV adverts
  focusing upon plastic bottles
• Continually review the market to ensure our
  residents receive the best scheme possible.

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Contact me!!
01606 867887
jsherratt_at_valeroyal.gov.uk