London Borough of Enfield: Flats as part of a commercial building
Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building
Background
Enfield Council provides 95,000 kerbside properties with weekly collections of co-mingled dry
recycling. Residents use either boxes or wheeled bins to present their dry recycling. Food and
garden waste collections are also provided to all kerbside properties using a caddy for food waste
and wheeled bin for garden waste. Residents also use wheeled bins for residual waste.
24,500 properties within blocks of flats use blue reusable bags to transport co-mingled recycling to
360, 660 or 1280 litre communal recycling bins.
The Council was aware that the variety of building types for flats as part of a commercial building
(such as that in image 1) would mean that the kerbside and flats services would not be appropriate
for these properties. In order to identify suitable services they assessed the needs of each building
individually before deciding on the appropriate service provision.
Image 1. Flats with a
dental practice below
in Enfield
Background
LB Enfield demographics
At mid-2010 the population of Enfield was
estimated to be 294,900 making Enfield the
5th largest of the 33 London local authorities.
There are estimated to be 35 people per
hectare.
Enfield has a large population of both 0-14s
and residents that are 60 and over in
comparison to the rest of London.
Of the 354 local authorities in England Enfield
is ranked 63 in terms of deprivation.
29% of the population in Enfield fall into BAME
groups with 12% of BAME residents coming
from Caribbean and African backgrounds.
According to the Council, there are 2,500 flats
as part of commercial buildings. Census 2001
information indicates that 1.64% of the total
properties within the borough are flats as part
of a commercial premises and a further 26.6%
are within purpose built blocks of flats.
forward
The recycling
schemes
Assessment of
building features
Comms
Reducing
trade abuse of
schemes
Case Study
page 1
London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building
The single use bag scheme
The preferred scheme for flats as part of commercial premises is a single use bag, as
the Council feels that this reduces the misuse of household schemes by businesses.
Image 2. An image of the grey and blue bag from Enfield’s
leaflet for flats as part of a commercial premises
Single-use branded grey bags are provided for refuse and single-use branded blue
bags are provided for recycling. Residents put these bags out either at the kerbside
or a back alleyway, depending on the property (e.g. the footfall at the kerbside and
the access available to crews in the back alley). The bags are collected weekly.
The bags are provided free of charge to residents and are delivered in rolls every 6
months. Residents receive enough bags to allow them to set out two bags of refuse
and two bags of recycling each week. Only households of five or more residents (or
two or more children in nappies) are provided with additional refuse and recycling
sacks.
The Council estimates that between 80% and 90% of flats as part of a commercial
premises will be provided with the single-use bag service once the scheme is fully
rolled out. Currently 50% of flats as part of commercial premises are provided with a
bin or single use bag recycling service.
Image 3. The wheeled bin used for dry recycling collections
where appropriate
The communal bin scheme
Where there is suitable space for the recycling bin to be stored off the street; suitable
access arrangements for the vehicle and crews; and a low likelihood of the recycling
bins being used by traders, the flats as part of commercial premises are provided with
a communal wheeled bin for recycling. These range in size from 360 to 1280 litres
depending on the number of properties within the building (see image 3).
Collections are made weekly and residents are provided with blue reusable bags to
store their recyclables and transport them to the communal bin.
The Council estimate that around 20% of properties (10% of blocks) are suitable for
this type of scheme due to issues with identifying a suitable location for the
containers.
Background
The recycling
schemes
back : forward
Assessment of
building features
Comms
Reducing
trade abuse of
schemes
Case Study
page 2
London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building
Assessment of the building features
The Council recognises that each building type is different, so their approach
to the provision of services to blocks of flats (including flats as part of
commercial premises) is to assess the building features before deciding on
the service that should be provided.
Image 4. Where there is suitable space a wheeled bin is provided for
recycling
This assessment is undertaken by the Council’s recycling team who visit each
property to:
•
Engage with managing organisations and caretakers regarding the
introduction and operation of the recycling service
•
Identify suitable space for the storage of recycling containers that is off
the street and secure from use by the traders (as per image 4) and/or
space where sacks can be set out that is off the public highway (the
Council has found that some flats as part of commercial premises have a
frontage where bags can be set out)
•
Make sure the vehicle and crews can access the site to undertake
collections
•
Identify issues that may arise with the traders that form part of the
building such as potential for mis-use of the household collection
containers
•
Assess what delivery arrangements could be made for recycling sacks
•
Identify the communication opportunities at the site
The outcome of each assessment is to determine whether the single use bag
scheme or the communal bin scheme is most appropriate for the property.
Background
The recycling
schemes
Assessment of
building features
back : forward
Comms
Reducing
trade abuse of
schemes
Case Study
page 3
London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building
Communications
The Council has used a range of methods to engage with residents of flats
within a commercial building to encourage them to recycle more:
•
Letters: When new households are provided with a service they receive
a letter with information about how to participate in the scheme. For
residents using the bag service they are told where to put bags and on
what day.
•
A5 flyer: If provided with a communal recycling bin residents are sent
A5 postcards to show what can and cannot go in the bin.
•
Leaflets: A leaflet (image 5) is sent out with the letter which provides
information about the scheme and some general rules (e.g. not to block
the stairs with bags)
•
Door to door canvassing: Enfield has found this to be an effective way
to engage with residents who do not speak English as a first language.
Most blocks have been easy for the door to door canvassers to access
using fire access ‘drop keys’. The Council also uses ‘Champions’ to
promote the scheme locally.
•
On-going communications: Follow up door to door canvassing is
undertaken as appropriate to address issues such as contamination or
trader mis-use of schemes
Image 5. Extract from Enfield’s leaflet which includes
pictorial guidance
Prior to the launch of new schemes, managing organisations are engaged
with via face to face meetings, phone and email to ensure that they
understand the scheme and can help promote it to residents.
back : forward
Comms
Background
The recycling
schemes
Assessment of
building features
Reducing
trade abuse of
schemes
Case Study
page 4
London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building
Reducing trade use of schemes
The Council employs a variety of approaches to reduce use of these
household waste and recycling services by businesses:
Image 6. Extract from Enfield’s leaflet to residents
which makes clear the household scheme should not be
used by businesses
•
The collection crews have been trained to monitor and report back
issues and the Council has built up their knowledge of problem
‘hotspots’ for fly-tipping and illicit deposit of commercial waste
•
The Council works with ‘Street Hawks’, a network of local volunteers
who monitor and report issues to the Council
•
If the Council identifies an issue of trade mis-use, a commercial waste
officer will visit the business to discuss their legal responsibilities
•
The Council offers terracotta waste sacks for businesses at a reduced
price to encourage uptake of Council commercial collection services for
small businesses (a recycling service is offered to traders using wheeled
bins)
•
The officers within the waste team work closely with officers from the
enforcement and commercial waste teams to address issues
•
The Council highlights in communication materials to residents that the
household scheme should not be used by businesses (image 6)
Background
The recycling
schemes
Assessment of
building features
Comms
Reducing
trade abuse of
schemes
back : forward
Case Study
page 5
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