Z-squared: towards zero waste in a One Planet Community

About the report

Setting out the vision for a zero waste management system at Z-squared (a concept zero carbon & zero waste mixed use community with 2,000 homes).

The report is one of ten in our Z-squared research report series.

Published September 2007
Pages 113

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BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing vital solutions for sustainable living.

Executive summary

This report sets out the vision for a working waste management system in Z-squared - a zero carbon zero waste community for London's Thames Gateway. This system has been developed from a range of sources, using examples of best practice and research to create a solution for this community.

The position of waste management in the UK, and the EU, is a constantly moving target. There have been many recent changes to legislation and policy, for example DEFRA’s Waste Strategy 2007, the WEEE directive, the Batteries Directive and still more to come such as the EU’s thematic waste strategy. Therefore this concept of a system must be considered in this climate. BioRegional is not putting this system forward as “the solution” to waste management, but rather looking at the whole picture and putting together the best system we envisage working in this circumstance. This solution may become somewhat different as more changes pan out over the next few years.  We are constantly looking to keep up to date with changes in the practices that will impact on the best solution for our community.

However, we feel that the type of system described in this document will provide a community with a long term plan that is flexible enough to cope with most of the predicted changes in waste management. Overall our aim has been to find a system that will minimise waste generation, and maximise recycling and composting so that we can move towards a zero waste community.

The concept design for Z-squared includes 2,000 homes and about 50,000m2 of commercial, community and leisure space. Based on the London average of 451kg of waste generated by each resident it is estimated that the Z-squared households will generate 2,255 tonnes of waste each year. On top of this there will be at least 2,000 tonnes of commercial waste generated by the shops, schools, offices and services in the development.

Most of the homes in Z-squared will be flats which historically have much lower recycling rates than houses.  It is vital to create a collection system for the residents that will make it easy for them to recycle. It is considered that the provision of a door-to-door collection of recyclables for residents in flats is most likely to provide high recycling rates. The recyclables will be source separated creating the highest value for the material. This system reduces contamination and allows identification of non-participants so that communications can be targeted appropriately.

The communications strategy at Z-squared is a vital component of moving towards zero waste. Z-squared will have a Green Enabler whose role will be to provide effective support and communications regarding the waste management. They will be the central point of contact based at the community centre and ensure the provision of a variety of services including:

• Householders information pack and low waste shopping guide
• Community intranet that will provide up to date information about the recycling system
• Dissemination of information through leaflets and door-knocking campaigns
• Events such as swap shops and composting workshops
• Monitoring to enable promotional campaigns based on performance feedback

Creation of targets for a waste management strategy is not a straight forward procedure. It is not a direct cause and effect relationship, as it might be for setting targets for proportions of recycled material. In the case of waste management some of the responsibility for the final outcome relies behaviour of other groups of people, for example the local authority and the residents in the community. There is no certainty regarding the strategy and the outcome. This means that the monitoring and assessment of the scheme has to be ongoing, and the scheme has to be flexible so that it can be altered if it is not reaching the desired outcome.  On this basis, these predictions are not accurate but rather based upon an assessment of the potential of the community.

The best practice scenario includes recycling of all the waste streams that it is felt are currently technically feasible. This is not necessarily what is common amongst local authorities at the moment, but also including some of the less cost effective waste streams for collection. The materials that would be collected are:

• Paper and card
• Glass
• Plastic bottles, some of the other dense plastics
• Plastic film
• Metals
• Clothes and shoes
• Some hazardous wastes, such as engine oil, batteries
• WEEE
• Kitchen and garden waste

On this basis it is estimated that 85% of the waste stream is technically recyclable. If a successful awareness raising campaign engages the local community to the extent of a 90% participation and capture rate, this could result in a 69% recycling and composting rate. Flanders in Belgium has claimed a 71% recycling rate, so this is a figure that should be achievable. This really is dependent on an ongoing engagement programme, and provision of a flexible and responsive scheme.

This would be a real achievement in the context of current UK recycling rates, with 51% currently the highest rate recorded. If we are to move towards a zero waste future in the community, it will be vital to work to target the remaining parts of the waste stream that are not being recycled. This will be done through changing purchasing patterns by the local community, and by working with the manufacturers and retailers to see what changes can be made to those hard to recycle materials.

Download report PDF
........................................................................................................
BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing vital solutions for sustainable living.