Welcome to WRAP’s guidance on monitoring and evaluation. This introductory section will help you find the section you’re looking for.

If you already know which section you need, or you want to download the whole document, use the links on the right hand side of this screen.

Monitoring and evaluating the impact of your schemes and initiatives is essential if you want to improve them in the most cost-effective way. This site gives you access to detailed, step-by-step guidance on a range of monitoring techniques, including:

• Surveys
  
• Participation and usage monitoring
• Capture rate analysis
• Contamination assessments
• Making better use of your tonnage data

The site is designed mainly for local authorities but also for community groups and waste management companies.

If you are visiting this site because you want to apply to WRAP’s Behavioural Change Local Fund, click here. This link will take you to the most appropriate place in the guidance for putting together proposals on monitoring and evaluating your campaign – you’ll need this for your application form. For more information on WRAP’s Behavioural Change Local Fund, click here.

What do you want to do?

• Monitor the impact of my behaviour change, communication or awareness campaign
• Increase my recycling/composting rate

  2. What are the key issues for you? choose again

  • I'm not sure
  • Lack of infrastructure or resources
  • Lack of awareness amongst residents about schemes
  • Low levels of use of existing schemes
  • Contamination of recyclate
  • Waste is increasing faster than our recycling so our rates are decreasing even though quantities recycled are going up
  • There are still lots of recyclable materials being thrown away
  • We don't have enough materials accepted by our schemes
• Increase the quantity of waste recycled and/or composted

  2. What are the key issues for you? choose again

  • I'm not sure
  • Lack of infrastructure or resources
  • Lack of awareness amongst residents about schemes
  • Low levels of use of existing schemes
  • There are still lots of recyclable materials being thrown away
  • We don't have enough materials accepted by our schemes
• Increase the number of households taking part in my schemes

  2. Which collection system is the problem? choose again

  • Bring banks
  • Household Waste Recycling Centres (Civic Amenity Sites)
  • Kerbside schemes
• Increase the proportion of targeted materials actually recycled

  2. Which collection system is the problem? choose again

  • Bring banks
  • Household Waste Recycling Centres (Civic Amenity Sites)
  • Kerbside schemes
• Improve the quality of recyclate/decrease contamination
• Demonstrate the effectiveness of my waste reduction initiatives
• Something else

  2. Choose the question that's most relevant to what you want to find out: choose again

  • I'm applying to WRAP's Behaviour Change Local Fund - what do I need to do in terms of monitoring and evaluation?
  • I've received funding from WRAP's Behaviour Change Local Fund - what do I need to do in terms of monitoring and evaluation?
  • Are people happy with my schemes?
  • Are people aware of my schemes?
  • Are people using my schemes?
  • Are people using my schemes properly?
  • How much waste is being diverted from landfill as a result of my schemes?
  • What more could my schemes divert?
  • What kinds of contaminants are getting into the recyclate?
  • How successful has my real nappy scheme been?
  • How successful has my campaign against unsolicited mail been?
  • What impact has my work in schools had?
  • How successful is my furniture reuse scheme?
  • How can I evaluate my communication campaign?
  • Something else

• For more information, refer to Chapter 8 - Monitoring communication campaigns

• For more information, refer to Chapter 6 - Monitoring contamination levels

• For more information, refer to Chapter 7 - Monitoring waste reduction initatives

• You need to know more about what's holding you back. Follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you are making the most of your tonnage data - Chapter 4 - Monitoring quantities diverted
  2. Carry out an awareness survey to see what people think - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction
  3. Monitor participation in your kerbside scheme - Chapter 3 - Monitoring scheme usage and participation

• Monitoring and evaluation could help you make the case for investment in infrastructure and resources. Follow these steps:

  1. Carry out focus groups or a survey to find out what people think of the existing infrastructure and what they might like to have instead - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction
  2. Use your tonnage data better - Chapter 4 - Monitoring quantities diverted

• Check that a lack of awareness is really the issue with an awareness survey - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction

  If you plan to carry out an awareness campaign, check out how to evaluate its impact - Chapter 8 - Monitoring communication campaigns

• Check whether there are some areas where participation is lower. This will help you target communication materials more efficiently Chapter 3 - Monitoring scheme usage and participation

  Carry out a survey to find out why people aren't using your schemes - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction

• For more information, refer to Chapter 6 - Monitoring contamination levels

• Make sure you are using your tonnage data to best effect - Chapter 4 - Monitoring quantities diverted

  If you are thinking about waste reduction initiatives then consider how you are going to monitor their impact - Chapter 7 - Monitoring waste reduction initatives

• Look at what's still being thrown away so you can target your resources effectively - Chapter 5 - Monitoring capture rates

  Consider a survey of householders to find out why they are not diverting everything they might be - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction

• Find out what materials are likely to yield the best return - Chapter 5 - Monitoring capture rates

• Review the effectiveness of your infrastructure

  1. Use your data effectively - Chapter 4 - Monitoring quantities diverted
  2. Carry out usage monitoring - Chapter 3 - Monitoring scheme usage and participation
  3. Interview users and non-users to find out what the issues are for them - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction
  4. If you haven't already done so, measure capture rates so you can target your efforts - Chapter 5 - Monitoring capture rates

• Measure the problem objectively and identify problematic areas - Chapter 3 - Monitoring scheme usage and participation

  Carry out focus groups or a survey to find out what the issues are and to help you design effective communications - Chapter 2 - Monitoring awareness, claimed behaviour and satisfaction

  If you haven't already done so, measure capture rates so you can target your efforts - Chapter 5 - Monitoring capture rates

• This document covers most monitoring and evaluation issues. If you can’t find what you need through this signposting section, download the table of contents for more detail.

  Table of contents