Resources

Restricted Residual Collections (whether a smaller bin or extended frequency in collections) are becoming increasingly common by Local Authorities, in a drive to increase and improve recycling performance, reduce residual waste arisings and focus citizen behaviour. This movement is particularly evident in Wales and Scotland, less so in England.

The Recycling Tracker is an annual survey of UK households that gathers evidence on recycling attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour. ​It is the largest and longest running of its kind, having been undertaken by WRAP since 2004. ​

The survey uses boost sampling in Northern Ireland to provide a robust, enhanced sample of Northern Irish citizens. Fieldwork was undertaken online, from 20 - 30 March 2023. A total of 5,343 interviews were undertaken UK-wide with adults who have responsibility for dealing with the rubbish and recycling in the home. This included a sample of 563 adults in Northern Ireland. The sample matches the known profile of the Northern Ireland population, with quotas set on age, gender, region and social grade.

The Recycling Tracker is an annual survey of UK households that gathers evidence on recycling attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour. ​It is the largest and longest running of its kind, having been undertaken by WRAP since 2004. ​

Fieldwork was undertaken online from 20 - 30 March 2023. A total of 5,343 interviews were undertaken with UK adults who have responsibility for dealing with the rubbish and recycling in the home. The sample matches the known profile of the population, with quotas set on age, gender, region, social class, and ethnicity.

Since 2019, WRAP has been providing support to partner authorities in Hampshire as part of Project Integra. Project Integra was established in 1995 to provide an integrated approach to the collection, treatment and disposal of waste in Hampshire.

The project involves 11 waste collection authorities, 2 unitary authorities, Hampshire County Council and Veolia Hampshire, the integrated waste management contractor.

Modelling work undertaken by WRAP in 2017/18 helped officers from North East Lincolnshire Council develop a business case to replace the weekly collection of residual waste with an ‘alternate week collection’.  In addition to delivering financial savings for the authority, the implementation of fortnightly residual waste collections saw an 18% reduction in residual waste alongside a 50% increase in dry recycling.

WRAP supported the development of a new waste strategy, shaped by internal targets and external drivers, such as alignment with the resources and waste strategy. The Council has a target to increase its recycling rate from 46% to 55% by 2025. Basildon Council’s vision is to re-position its waste and recycling collections in alignment with its carbon reduction and sustainable resource management ambitions.

WRAP and Recycle Now's recycling tracker provides insights into UK citizen’s attitudes towards recycling as well as a greater understanding of their recycling related behaviours. It is an annual survey of UK citizens that gathers evidence on recycling attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour. It is the largest and longest running of its kind, having been undertaken by WRAP since 2004.

With government plans to introduce mandatory kerbside collections for films and flexibles by 2027 there is a growing need for a consistent terminology to effectively communicate to citizens. Between March 2020 and October 2022 WRAP undertook three rounds of citizen testing to measure the clarity and effectiveness of a wide range in terminology, with a clear preference presenting itself, as well as key principles for communicating positive recycling behaviour.

This is a guide for local authority waste and recycling officers to help develop kerbside collection calendars. These are essential communication tools and provide householders with information about their waste and recycling collection frequency and instructions on how to participate.

Through The UK Plastics Pact we are redesigning the plastics system, working across the entire plastics value chain to reduce its climate impact, by stopping plastic waste, and the harmful emissions of new plastic production, keeping the material in the economy and out of the environment.

We are over halfway to The UK Plastics Pact targets and our 2021-22 annual report gives an honest appraisal of progress and challenges. 

National agreement from the recycling industry on what can and cannot be collected for recycling from householders and how those materials should be presented for collection.

WRAP works with governments, businesses and citizens to create a world in which resources are used sustainably. Read our April 2020-21 annual review to learn more about our mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.