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Suez offers advice on ‘scaling up’ reuse at HWRCs

Suez has launched a guide to provide local authorities with practical advice on “scaling up and maximising opportunities” for reuse at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs)

The Renew Hub, based at Trafford Park in Greater Manchester, on which Suez has partnered with the GMCA

Local authorities are not yet supported by a central government waste prevention strategy, the waste management company says, while “a clear roadmap for increasing reuse does not exist”.

Suez says it has produced its guide, published on 1 December, which includes tips for authorities either at the beginning of their journey or looking to develop their offering, to promote reuse’s economic and social benefits.

Refurbishing and reusing 10,000 tonnes of “waste resources” could create up to 296 jobs, Suez claims.

In the guide, Suez says training and having the ‘buy-in’ of site staff are essential to the success of any reuse activity, while it is easiest to incorporate reuse models during the refurbishment of an HWRC.

Drop-off points should be installed at the most visible and accessible locations, Suez recommends, and local authorities should develop a clear communications plan to raise awareness and prepare visitors for what to expect on site.

Suez also recommends local authorities invest in a clear process for capturing and analysing data to help them understand and adapt to reuse shopping models.

The waste management company says the guide builds on recommendations laid out in its Stuff of Life report, published in September, which looked at the issue of overconsumption in the UK (see letsrecycle.com story).

Retail

Suez’s guide also includes advice on setting up a reuse shop as part of the operations of an HWRC.

Local authorities should take time to create a “quality retail environment”, Suez says

“There is no right or wrong answer” as to who is best to run a retail outlet on-site, Suez says, but the waste management company says it has benefitted from running shops itself. Doing so creates jobs for locals and offers opportunities for others to learn, while the profits generated can be used “in a way that’s agreed with the local authority”, Suez says.

The waste management company also says it is “key” to have data on how the shops are used, what sells and when. “Having a till system with software that allows you to capture and export this data efficiently is a fundamental function to have in place before you open a shop,” the report reads.

Local authorities should take time to create a “quality retail environment”, Suez says, to avoid a shop looking like a “traditional jumble sale”.

And, Suez says investing a small amount in advertising to targeted postcodes on social media can be a “worthwhile investment”, boosting sales and awareness.

Experience

Sarah Ottaway, Suez’s sustainability and social value lead, said: “The UK’s net zero objectives will require us all to move toward a more circular economy. To achieve this, a collaborative industry approach focused on knowledge sharing and expertise, underpinned by strategic government policy is required.

Our new re-use guide will provide valued partners and peers in the sector with ideas and insights that maximise reuse in every location

  • Sarah Ottaway, Suez sustainability and social value lead

“However, the adoption of reuse is far from universal, for a range of reasons including lack of investment, prioritisation and an absence of government incentives or targets.”

Suez began working in partnership and sharing expertise on reuse with local authorities in 2012. A decade later, Suez says it operates 27 reuse shops, often located at HWRCs, where recovered goods are sold to residents.

Ms Ottaway added: “Using the knowledge and learnings we have acquired over the past decade, our new re-use guide will provide valued partners and peers in the sector with ideas and insights that maximise reuse in every location, support skilled job creation and generate revenue to support more developments and greater ambitions.”

Suez says it employs more than 5,600 people across hundreds of sites in the UK and handles more than 10 million tonnes of waste materials every year.

Related link
Putting reuse at the heart of your household waste recycling centre

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