Problem
Since the national recycling target increased to 64% in 2019/20, Cardiff Council has struggled to meet performance expectations. By 2021/22, Cardiff recorded the lowest recycling rate in Wales, achieving only 58%, well below the target of 70% set by Welsh Government.
Additionally, over 30% of material in the comingled recycling stream was contamination, meaning it could not be effectively recycled. Falling short of national targets and facing high contamination rates that threatened the quality of valuable recyclables, the Council recognised the need for immediate action to improve its recycling performance.
Solution
To address the pressing issue of low recycling rates and contamination, Cardiff Council implemented a service change centred around a multi-stream collections system. The aim of the service change was to increase recycling quality and meet Welsh Government’s ambitious 70% recycling target for 2024/25 and zero waste ambition by 2050.
A trial conducted in 2023, involving 4,000 households, saw contamination drop from 30% to just 6% after the system was introduced. Encouraged by the trial’s success, the Council began phasing in the city-wide multi-stream collection system.
A key feature of the service change was the promotion of the Cardiff Gov App, which allows residents to:
- check recycling and waste collection dates and set reminders;
- report missed collections;
- arrange bulky item collections;
- book visits to a recycling centre;
- search an A-Z recycling guide for advice on how to best dispose of household items; and
- find local stockists or request a delivery of recycling collection sacks, caddies and food waste caddy liners.
To ensure the system’s success, the Council also launched an extensive public awareness campaign, distributing a suite of educational and informative materials to residents alongside new recycling containers. These educational materials comprised:
- a letter introducing and highlighting the key changes;
- a detailed information booklet, explaining reasons for the change, how to correctly present their recycling and non-recyclable waste correctly, and a suite of FAQs; and
- a ‘quick guide’ information sheet showing residents ‘what goes where’.
The new containers were also labelled with clear recycling instructions, helping to reinforce correct recycling behaviours. Messaging was echoed in public spaces across the city, with pop-up banner displays and posters placed in Council-managed spaces, such as offices, libraries, and community centres. The messaging and outlets used aimed to clarify the changes, and were timed to match each rollout phase.
As part of the rollout, collection crews also checked containers before loading materials onto the collection vehicles, rejecting any contaminated containers to provide valuable feedback to residents.
Impact
The introduction and communication of Cardiff Council’s multi-stream collections system has had a transformative impact on the county’s recycling efforts:
- Contamination reduction: The contamination rate of recyclables dropped from 30% to just 10%.
- Improved recycling outcomes: 90% of recycling collected is now successfully recycled, compared to 70% under the previous system.
- Increased recycling rate: The city’s recycling rate increased to 60%, making clear progress towards meeting the national targets.
- Enhanced public awareness: Residents have adopted more responsible recycling behaviours, showing improved understanding and commitment to correct recycling.
The Council’s experience demonstrates the effectiveness of communication, education and enforcement when introducing a service change. As the scheme continues to be rolled out across the county, Cardiff Council is learning and identifying areas where further improvements can be made.