1. Background Case Study page 1 forward 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. The recycling schemes Assessment of building features CommsReducing trade abuse of schemes 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. Image 1. Flats with a dental practice below in Enfield

2. London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building back : forward Case Study page 2 The recycling schemes Assessment of building features CommsReducing trade abuse of schemes Background 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. 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. 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. Image 2. An image of the grey and blue bag from Enfield’s leaflet for flats as part of a commercial premises Image 3. The wheeled bin used for dry recycling collections where appropriate

3. back : forward Case Study page 3 The recycling schemes Assessment of building features CommsReducing trade abuse of schemes Background 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. 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. Image 4. Where there is suitable space a wheeled bin is provided for recycling

4. back : forward Case Study page 4 The recycling schemes Assessment of building features Comms Reducing trade abuse of schemes Background 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 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. Image 5. Extract from Enfield’s leaflet which includes pictorial guidance London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building

5. Reducing trade use of schemes The Council employs a variety of approaches to reduce use of these household waste and recycling services 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) back : forward Case Study page 5 The recycling schemes Assessment of building features Comms Reducing trade abuse of schemes Background London Borough of Enfield: Recycling and waste collection arrangements for flats as part of a commercial building Image 6. Extract from Enfield’s leaflet to residents which makes clear the household scheme should not be used by businesses

6. Waste & Resources Action Programme The Old Academy 21 Horse Fair Banbury, Oxon OX16 OAH Tel: 01295 819 900 Fax: 01295 819 911 E-mail info@wrap.org.uk Helpline freephone 0808 100 2040 www.wrap.org.uk While steps have been taken to ensure its accuracy, WRAP cannot accept responsibility or be held liable to any person for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with this information being inaccurate, incomplete or misleading. This material is copyrighted. It may be reproduced free of charge subject to the material being accurate and not used in a misleading context. The source of the material must be identified and the copyright status acknowledged. This material must not be used to endorse or used to suggest WRAP’s endorsement of a commercial product or service. For more detail, please refer to our Terms & Conditions on our website - www.wrap.org.uk For more information visit www.wrap.org.uk/flats back : home