Guidance for managing agents

Recycling saves money

Last year Westminster residents saved £1/2 million by recycling. Better still, managing agents saved £150,000 in bin charges last year by swapping rubbish for recycling.

Hiring recycling bins is free, whereas we charge for rubbish bin hire to cover maintenance costs. The more your residents recycle, the more you save. We’re here to help you and your residents optimise your recycling service.

• Rubbish collections & bin hire
• Waste storage (planning advice)
• How recycling saves money

What recycling service can we have?

All mansion blocks get a free recycling service. You can recycle:

• paper & card
• plastic bottles, pots, tubs & trays
• drink cans, food tins & aerosols
• glass bottles & jars

More on what  you can recycle

We provide recycling bins, disposable bags or reusable bags to best suit your block's needs, with up to two recycling collections a week.

To arrange a new recycling service or improve your service, please read below and contact the recycling team.

How can I tell my residents?

There are simple steps you can take to help your residents know how to recycle.

Here are some resources to help you:

• A4 customisable welcome pack - Word doc
• A4 recycling poster
• Quarterly recycling enewsletter

For printed copies of leaflets, posters or bin signage, information in foreign languages, or to request a visit from the recycling team to speak to your residents, just contact the recycling team.

Best practice for recycling in mansion blocks

The best performing blocks in Westminster are those where building staff and residents communicate well with each other, and it is as easy to recycle as it is to throw things away as rubbish.

Here are some actions high-performing blocks have taken. As every property is different, some will apply to yours while others will not.

Bag distribution

• A resident, cleaner orders or stocks recycling bags for the whole block if there is no porter
• Cleaner or porter distributes a recycling bag or two to residents every week
• The porter maintains a stock of blue recycling bags (order for whole block when needed)

Collection scheme

• Residents have a separate bin for recycling in addition to a rubbish bin in or outside their flats in dedicated waste areas.
• Residents leave recycling bags in the chute room for collection by a cleaner.
• Porter or cleaner collects recycling from outside residents’ flats on a chosen day(might be every day) and takes to recycling bins/presents on street for collection

Extras

• Building staff know and advise residents what can be recycled using the recycling scheme
• Building staff know where the nearest micro recycling centre is, for large quantities of mixed recycling, or for other items like small electrical appliances and books
• Residents and building staff are able to discuss waste and recycling arrangements or issues.
• Job descriptions include “rubbish and recycling” rather than “waste”

To discuss arrangements for your properties, contact the recycling team.