London Boroughs of Sutton, Merton and Croydon

Collection start date:
14 May 2007

Collection frequency:
Weekly

Collection containers:
5 litre caddys, 25 litre kerbside bins

Description of trial area:
Approximately 7,500 households across 3 boroughs with a range of demographic locations included in residential areas (no flats).

Liners provided:
Yes.  Initially distributed 20 liners to each household with the caddys and bins.  Four weeks later, rolls of 52 liners were distributed (only to households participating in the trial).

Support supplied by WRAP:
Caddys and bins, communications design and printing, advice in design of trial, monitoring and evaluation.

Collection vehicle used:
Initially used a small 2 tonne vehicle but now using a larger 7+ tonne vehicle as participation is significantly higher than originally anticipated.

Collections Contractor:
London Borough of Sutton

IVC facility being used and location:
Composting tunnels at Beddington Lane, Sutton

Local authority size:
Merton has approximately 81,000 households

Croydon has approximately 144,000 households

Sutton has approximately 78,000 households

Existing food waste collection:
No

Existing garden waste collection:
Merton has a free on-request garden waste collection.

Croydon - Part Borough coverage to 48,000 households.  Fortnightly free collection using clear sacks between April – November.

Sutton – Borough wide service on a fortnightly collection, returnable clear heavy duty plastic sacks, no limit is set to the number of sacks that can be placed out. The service is currently under review.

Refuse collection – frequency and containers used :
Merton has a weekly black bag collection.

Croydon has a weekly wheeled bin service.

Sutton has a weekly wheeled bin service

Recycling collection – frequency, containers used:
Merton has a weekly recycling collection which has two 55 litre boxes collecting paper, card, plastics, glass and cans.

Croydon has a fortnightly recycling collection using a 55 litre box for paper, cans, glass, and textiles.  In 2007/08 an additional box will be given to 36,000 households for collection of card and plastic.

Sutton has a fortnightly collection using wheeled bins (140 litre or 240 litre) collecting paper, card, cans, plastic bottles and cans.

Examples of communication materials used by the councils

Food waste collection trial leaflet:
Croydon - food_waste_introductory_spreads (2707 kb)
Merton - food_waste_instructional (8173 kb)

Caddy sticker:
Sutton - food_waste_sticker (530 kb)

Contamination sticker:
Sutton - Final_Tie (479 kb)

Main contact:
Kees Hyink, Project Officer, London Borough of Merton
kees.hyink@merton.gov.uk

Simon Mander, Recycling Manager, London Borough of Croydon
Simon.Mander@croydon.gov.uk

Sutton Barry Perkins, Waste Operations Manager, London Borough of Sutton
barry.perkins@sutton.gov.uk