Equalities Impact Assessment
Waste prevention, recycling and
composting activities
Department of
Environment & Transport
February 2013
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Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Report
For further information on undertaking and completing an Equality Impact Assessment, please
see the guidance.
Name of policy/ procedure/ function/ service
being assessed:
Waste prevention, recycling and composting
activities
Department and Section:
Environment and Transport, Waste
Name of lead officer and others completing this
assessment:
Linda Wilson/Anna Low/Vicky Cormie
Contact telephone numbers:
0116 305 5587/8127/7291
Date EIA assessment completed:
September 2012
Step 1: Defining the function
What are the main aims, purpose and objectives of the function?
How will they be achieved?
Waste prevention, recycling and composting activities aim to foster sustainable waste management
practice and behaviour in Leicestershire. Waste prevention involves reducing the amount of waste
that is produced by not generating the waste in the first place, by keeping things for longer and
reusing items. Recycling and composting involves turning waste into new products.
These activities aim to:

Reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill therefore resulting in the mitigation of Leicestershire’s
environmental impact associated with waste management.

Mitigate the cost of waste disposal for the tax payer by limiting exposure to landfill tax charges
(currently £64 per tonne increasing by £8 per year).

Engage with and encourage local communities to participate in waste prevention, recycling and
composting activities through implementing behavioural changes at home and work and
participating in volunteer schemes.
What are the main activities relating to this function and distinguish who is likely to benefit
from these activities.
The provision of Leicestershire County Council’s (LCC) waste prevention, recycling and composting
function will be determined by the Waste Initiatives Plan. During 2012/13, activities will be
implemented to deliver the following key campaigns:
 Food waste prevention
 Home composting and food waste digesters
 Recycling
 Reuse
Activities to successfully deliver these campaigns are likely to include:

Conducting roadshows and workshops at community hubs (such as local halls, schools etc.) and
during community events (such as farmers markets, local shows/festivals etc.) using the waste
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exhibition trailer when appropriate.

Presenting and delivering educational sessions with schools, community groups, local
stakeholders etc.

Enrolling and training local volunteers within the Master Composter, Real Nappy, Love Food Hate
Waste Cooking Class and Waste Action Volunteer schemes to promote sustainable waste
management within their community through presenting to their peers, conducting events during
community meetings, visiting local residents in their homes to provide advice etc.
Communications activities are undertaken regarding waste prevention, recycling and composting on
behalf of Waste Management by the Corporate Communications Group. These activities include
publicity/advertising relating to events/campaigns including for example:

the production and issuing of media releases

commissioning of local and social media mechanisms

deciding upon which publications/mediums to use and when; and

development, design and issuing of leaflets and posters etc.
Residents will benefit from the provision of waste prevention, recycling and composting activities.
These benefits will arise from a reduced environmental impact associated with waste management,
lower cost of waste disposal in Leicestershire and improved community cohesion through more
members of the public engaging and participating in local sustainable waste management activities.
What outcomes are expected?
Waste prevention, recycling and composting activities aim to contribute to:
 Reducing the total tonnages of household waste produced
 Increasing recycling rates
 Increasing composting rates
 Increasing awareness levels
 Increasing participation levels
Examples of 2012/131 performance indicators that have been produced to monitor the success of the
campaigns listed in step 1 above include:
 Sale of 1000 home compost bins
 Recruitment of 600 new Rot a Lot members
 Delivery of 25 talks/activities to educational establishments and community groups
 Reuse of 40 tonnes of waste via Freeuse
1
these performance indicators will be reviewed and updated during the annual Local
Business Plan development process
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Step 2: Potential Impact
Who is affected and what barriers may these individuals or groups face?
Age Potential barriers exist for elderly members of the public who may
want to engage in waste prevention, recycling and composting
activities but have difficulty accessing/travelling to community
venues where roadshows/events are being held.
Potential barriers exist for elderly members of the public who may
experience difficulty accessing the waste exhibition trailer that is
used during some events due to the need to climb steps upon
entry.
Potential barriers exist for elderly members of the public due to
the continuing demand to reduce communication costs resulting
in an increased use of no/low cost social media to communicate
messages. It is widely accepted that this type of communication
predominantly targets younger members of the public.
Disability Potential barriers exist for disabled members of the public who
would like to engage in waste prevention, recycling and
composting activities but have difficulty accessing/travelling to
community venues where roadshows/events are being held.
Gender Reassignment
Marriage and Civil Partnership
Pregnancy and Maternity
Race
Potential barriers exist for disabled members of the public who
may experience difficulty accessing the waste exhibition trailer
used during some events due to the need to climb steps upon
entry.
No barriers identified
No barriers identified
No barriers identified
Potential barriers exist for non-English speaking residents who
may experience difficulty in engaging due to not understanding
information contained within literature/posters/presentations etc.
Potential barriers also exist for minority racial groups in
Leicestershire who may be difficult to contact and inform about
County Council activities.
No barriers identified
No barriers identified
No barriers identified
Potential barriers exist for working people who may not be able to
participate if roadshows/events are predominantly undertaken
during weekdays between 9am and 5pm.
Religion or Belief
Sex
Sexual Orientation
Other groups e.g. rural isolation,
deprivation, health inequality,
carers, asylum seeker and
refugee communities, looked
after children, deprived or
disadvantaged communities
Community Cohesion No barriers identified
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Step 3: Data Collection & Evidence
What evidence, research, data and other information do you have which will be relevant to this
EIA?
What does this information / data tell you about each of the diverse groups?
A significant amount of equality and diversity information has been gathered from participants during
events. The most recent completed analysis of this information is available in the ‘Waste Prevention
and Reuse Project Benefits Assessment District Level Report (2010)’.
This report included developing a baseline of information to identify the socio-demographic profiles of
residents that have been engaging with WPRP activities during 2008 and 2009. The aim of the
assessment was also to identify prevailing behaviour patterns, motivations and potential barriers that
participants experienced when engaging in the WPRP activities.
The report included the following key recommendations:
 ‘…ACORN 4 and 5 categories…were not engaging adequately... Steps should be taken to use the
findings to better target these demographic groups...
 Seek to understand why engagement by residents varies from district to district and in particular,
take steps to increase engagement from the low uptake districts.
 Use the mapping of the geographical spread of ACORN categories across Leicestershire to inform
future targeting of campaigns and initiatives.’
What further research, data or evidence may be required to fill any gaps in your understanding
of the potential or known affects of the function?
Have you considered carrying out new data or research?
At present, a significant amount of equality and diversity information is being gathered by the Waste
Research Project. This project aims to ‘…gather information and gain insight that will enable the
development and delivery of more effective waste campaigns and initiatives, that encourage residents
to adopt more positive and sustained waste behaviours, that result in a reduction in the amount of
waste being produced in Leicestershire and sent for treatment and to landfill.’
There are many activities within the scope of the Waste Research Project. Activities relevant to this
EIA include:
 ‘…literary review including topics such as: behavioural change; waste prevention; reuse;
environmental segmentation; lifestyle approach…
 …survey of people on our existing databases
 …running of focus groups…’
The aim and activities to be delivered by the Waste Research Project therefore will develop a greater
understanding of customers and the level of success of waste prevention, recycling and composting
activities. Any existing barriers for protected characteristic groups will be highlighted during the Waste
Research Project.
The Waste Research Project is due to be completed during Spring 2013. Findings from the activities
undertaken within the project will be reported as and when they are completed. This EIA will be
updated if the Waste Research Project identifies that any barriers exist for the nine protected
characteristic groups.
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Step 4: Consultation and Involvement
Have you consulted on this function?
Outline any consultation and the outcomes of the consultation in relation to this EIA.
See step 3 above.
Do any of the barriers you identified actually exist based on this consultation?
In the past, following evaluation of feedback forms from real nappy campaign activities it was found
that BME mothers were not being engaged appropriately in the real nappy campaign. This issue was
addressed through a number of actions such as by specifically targeting BME groups for real nappy
talks and advertising in the Leicester Mercury newspaper’s annual Diwali supplement. An Asian Real
Nappy Advisor (volunteer) has also been recruited which has greatly increased the number of BME
mothers engaging with this campaign.
Step 5: Mitigating and assessing the impact
If you consider there to be actual or potential adverse impact or discrimination, please outline
this below. State whether it is justifiable or legitimate and give reasons.
Step 2 identifies potential barriers for the following protected characteristic groups:
 Age
 Disability
 Race
 Religion or belief
It is considered that any potential barriers associated with waste prevention, recycling and composting
activities are mitigated by actions described in the box below. No illegal, justifiable or legitimate
discrimination has been identified.
What can be done to change the function to mitigate any adverse impact?
Consider what barriers you can remove, whether reasonable adjustments may be necessary
and how any unmet needs that you have identified can be addressed.
The following actions have been implemented to mitigate the potential adverse impacts identified in
step 2 above:
Age
 Potential issue: elderly members of the public may want to engage in waste prevention, recycling
and composting activities but may experience difficulty accessing/travelling to community venues
where roadshows/events are being held.
 Mitigation: assess venues for suitable access for elderly residents prior to arranging events.
 Potential issue: elderly members of the public may experience difficulty accessing the waste
exhibition trailer which is used during some events due to the need to climb steps upon entry.
 Mitigation: use of the accessibility ramp to prevent elderly members of the public from needing to
climb stairs to enter the waste exhibition trailer.
 Potential issue: young professionals may not be able to participate if roadshows/events are
predominantly undertaken during weekdays between 9am and 5pm.
 Mitigation: ensure events/activities are well distributed throughout all days and times of the week.
Disability
 Potential issue: disabled members of the public may want to engage in waste prevention, recycling
and composting activities but have difficulty accessing/travelling to community venues where
roadshows/events are being held.
 Mitigation: assess venues for suitable access for disabled residents prior to arranging events.
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

Potential issue: disabled members of the public may experience difficulty accessing the waste
exhibition trailer which is used during some events due to the need to climb steps upon entry.
Mitigation: use of the accessibility ramp to prevent disabled members of the public from needing to
climb stairs to enter the waste exhibition trailer.
Race
 Potential issue: non-English speaking residents may experience difficulty in engaging due to not
understanding information contained within leaflets/posters/presentations etc.
 Mitigation: make leaflets/posters available in various languages upon request. Utilise translation
service as necessary.
 Potential issue: minority racial groups in Leicestershire may be difficult to contact and inform about
County Council services/facilities etc.
 Mitigation: make leaflets/posters available in various languages upon request. Utilise targeted
mechanisms (such as community magazines) to engage with particular groups.
Step 6: Making a decision
Summarise your findings and give an overview of whether the policy will meet Leicestershire
County Council’s responsibilities in relation to equality, diversity and human rights.
It is considered that the undertaking of waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting activities is
meeting LCC’s responsibilities in relation to equality, diversity and human rights.
Step 7: Monitoring, evaluation & review of your function
How will you monitor the impact and effectiveness of the function and what monitoring
systems will you put in place to monitor this and to promote equality of opportunity and make
positive improvements?
Monitoring of the corporate compliments, comments and complaints system will ensure any equality,
diversity and human rights issues that arise are received and resolved appropriately.
Collection of equality and diversity and ACORN demographic group information will continue to be
undertaken through surveys and event feedback forms. The findings will be monitored to identify
whether the responses indicate that the participants represent the Leicestershire population and
whether any barriers for the nine protected characteristic groups exist. The findings will also allow us to
tailor the waste prevention, recycling and composting events to suitably meet the needs of the
participants.
How will the recommendations of this assessment be built into wider planning and review
processes?
e.g. policy reviews, annual plans and use of performance management systems.
Any future changes to waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting activities will be assessed
for potential impact upon equality, diversity and human rights.
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Equality Improvement Plan
Please list all the equality objectives, actions and targets that result from the Equality Impact Assessment (continue on separate sheets as
necessary). These now need to be included in the relevant service plan for mainstreaming and performance management purposes.
Equality Objective
Accessible
Activities
Equality, Diversity
& Human Rights
Training
Data Analysis
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
Action
Staff successfully use the
interpretation and translation
service (for language
translations) and type talk
service (for deaf people) to
communicate with various
groups.

Target
Evidence is available to show that
all staff directly engaging with
stakeholders understand how to
access and use the language line
and type talk service.
Officer
Responsible
Linda Wilson/
Anna Low
By When
End of March
each year

Ensure that roadshows are
located with appropriate
accessibility provisions (such
as adequate disabled
parking, public transport
access, hearing loop
availability etc).

The venue accessibility check list is
completed prior to roadshow/events
and a repository of venue
accessibility checks are developed
and maintained.
Linda Wilson/
Anna Low
End of March
2013

Locations of roadshows/
events are well distributed
throughout Leicestershire.

Undertake roadshows/events in
areas of high footfall to ensure
engagement with a representative
sample of Leicestershire’s
population.
All staff complete biennial equality,
diversity and human rights training.
Linda Wilson/
Anna Low
End of March
each year
Linda Wilson/
Anna Low
End of March
each year
Linda Wilson/
Anna Low
Analysis of data
as part of the
Waste Research
Project


All staff receive equality,
diversity and human rights
training.
Equality and diversity questions
are included in all monitoring
and evaluation of events.
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

Any identified barriers are resolved
promptly and used to inform future
activities.
Equality Objective

Action
Analyse survey data from
events/activities to identify
whether any barriers for the
nine protected characteristic
groups exist.

Target
This EIA is updated as necessary
upon the discovery of any existing
barriers.
Officer
Responsible
Linda Wilson/
Anna Low
By When
As necessary
1st Authorised Signature (EIA Lead):
Vicky Cormie
Date:
1st March 2013
2nd Authorised Signature (Member of DMT):
Mark Stevens
Date:
6th March 2013
Once completed, please send a copy of this form to the Departmental Equalities Group for quality assurance. Once
authorised, this Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Report will need to be published on our website.
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