Waste Analysis

Wychavon has commissioned a company, Resource Futures, to undertake analysis of the contents of both the black and green bins. This is to enable Wychavon to understand what materials residents are putting in their black bins that could be recycled either through the kerbside service or elsewhere, i.e. Household Recycling Centres. It will also allow Wychavon to see what materials are being put into the green bins that cannot be recycled and devise campaigns accordingly. 

Households are not being advised in advance that their property has been chosen to avoid any changes in normal behaviour by residents. Households have been chosen entirely at random.

Some residents may see their waste being removed by a third party rather than their normal collection crews. The waste is taken to a secure depot, sorted by type and weighed. At the end of each day all waste collected will be disposed of in the normal way and any recycling that is collected will be recycled. All waste collected will be treated with care and in complete confidence. Information about individual households will not be recorded, instead, data will be recorded at the level of demographic/street level or local area..

Resource Futures will be carrying identification and a letter of authority from Wychavon giving them permission to undertake the work, but should residents need further assurance, they can contact Emma Stuart, Waste & Recycling Improvement Officer at Wychavon on 01386 565019 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

What is the purpose of the study?

The data generated is needed to inform decisions on waste management in WDC and to assess how services may be improved in the future. The outcomes of the study may be used for targeting communications with residents or identifying trends in waste behaviour.

Why didn’t I receive any communication or letter before my waste was collected/used?

Households selected for sampling were not informed prior to the waste being collected. This was to avoid influencing behaviour which would then impact the results of the study.

Will everything be kept anonymous and treated as confidential?

Yes. All waste collected will be treated with care and in complete confidence. Information about individual households will not be recorded, instead, data will be recorded at the level of each street or local area.  Resource Futures has a long and proven track record of providing waste research. Their collection staff will all carry photographic identification and local police have been made aware and know where they will be working.

What happens if waste containing my personal details does get taken for analysing?

The waste is being analysed to identify what it is made of and therefore only this information will be captured. If material with personal details is found, it will be weighed and classed according to its material type and then will be sent for disposal/recycling via the normal routes. The details on it will not be recorded or used in any way.

Will there be any implications if my waste is chosen, and I have put the wrong things in my recycling?

There will not be any implications for households who have presented the wrong waste in their kerbside bins. We will not be collecting information about your individual household as all waste will be analysed on an area basis. Therefore, it will not be possible to trace waste back to an individual household.

Who is conducting the work?

Resources Futures are a team of professional researchers, working to collect data around waste and recycling on behalf of WDC.

Why do this research now?

This research is important to help WDC to plan waste services and future campaigns to encourage more recycling and reduce waste.

How does it work?

A team of professional researchers from Resource Futures will collect waste and recycling across two weeks in September and October. The collections will happen just in advance of the regular collection which will also take place as normal for some households.

Waste is taken to a secure depot, sorted by type and weighed. At the end of each day all waste collected will be disposed of in the normal way and any recycling that is collected will be recycled.

Who can I contact if I would like more information about the study?

You can contact Emma Stuart, Waste & Recycling Improvement Officer at Wychavon District Council on 01386 565019 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..