Recycling and waste service guides
Each year the JWS team works with SEP’s partner authorities to develop localised printed guides to recycling and waste to be distributed in their area. Management of the design, print and distribution of the guides by JWS means that costs can be saved by reducing the number of staff required to create them and procuring print and distribution services collectively.
The guides include information about the local collection service, a list of what items can and cannot go into each bin and six of the guides also include collection calendars for the following year. They help to ensure that the right things go into the right bins to help increase recycling and reduce contamination.
Over 450,000 2023 guides were designed, printed and delivered to households in every area of Surrey in October and December 2022. Following the distribution, independent research with residents was undertaken and showed high levels of recall and retention. The key highlights are:
- Recall of the guides and calendars is high:
- 81% recalled a guide once shown a copy, a very high figure given that the guides were distributed four months previously.
- More residents are reading their guides, keeping them as a reference and find them useful:
- 69% said that they read their guide with an increasing proportion of residents reading it thoroughly.
- 75% of those who read it, kept it.
- 83% of those who read it said the guides were essential, very useful or quite useful.
- Residents seem to be more conscientious when they don’t know which bin an item should go in:
- Although it is still the most popular course of action, 39% of residents now guess which bin to use compared to 57% in 2018.