Waste composition analysis of separate flexibles collections from purpose-built flats

Overview

The FlexFlats project aims to understand how local authorities can provide an efficient and effective flexibles collection service to residents who live in purpose-built flats and share bins (communal bins). The pilots will be carried out in partnership with three London local authorities with five pilot sites (blocks) in each. The local authorities are: •London borough of Bexley (twin-stream dry recycling service) •London borough of Lewisham (comingled dry recycling service) •Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (commingled dry recycling service) The pilot will trial a range of methods for flexibles plastics collection in 15 blocks of flats across the three boroughs. Each block will have a minimum of 25 households and will have a residual waste and dry recycling collection service already in place. A range of in-home solutions will be piloted. Flexibles sorted in the home will then be collected externally in either the usual dry recycling bin or a separate flexibles bin in the communal bin area - it is anticipated that separate flexibles bins will be no larger than 240l. Pilots are still being finalised but are likely to include the following: In-home options External infrastructure options* 1 No home separation - resident behaves as now (control) Usual recycling bin 2 In-home separation using residents own bags Standard wheeled bin (lined) / Lid-in-lid bin (lined) / Sack holder 3 In-home separation using rolls of bags delivered by the local authority Usual recycling bin (co-mingled) / Lid-in-lid bin (lined) / Sack holder 4 In-home separation using provided storage caddy (non-compaction), with residents using own bags Standard wheeled bin (lined) / Lid-in-lid bin (lined) / Sack holder *External options are being finalised with local authorities, and depend on local factors such as available space and collection and sorting methodology. Blocks will have a weekly collection frequency of residual waste and dry recycling, as a minimum. The pilots are scheduled to go live in late September 2026, with baseline monitoring taking place prior (including WCA). Pilots will run for 3.5 months, running until mid-January 2027, with post-monitoring taking place upon project close. 3. The brief The following project deliverables will be undertaken by the succesful bidder: • Two phase waste composition analysis to be undertaken for waste and recycling from all properties at up to 15 pilot sites situated across 15 housing estates/blocks within three London boroughs (five within each borough), using one or more sort sites provided by the local authorities. Phase 1: Pre-pilot WCA - to be undertaken between 7th - 26th September 2026 before interventions are introduced Phase 2: Post-pilot WCA - to be undertaken late January/early February 2027 to assess impact of interventions • Sorting to meet the data classification provided; • Confirmation of all appropriate permits to sort waste and (if required) transport waste; • Provision of a risk assessment in advance of any collection and sorting; • Attendance at an inception meeting via Teams and attendance at regular contract meetings during peak delivery periods (30 minutes/fortnightly or as required) and any other communications as required leading up to and required between project phases; • Delivery of the project outputs as set out in section 5; • Presentation of the results of the project (online via teams) • Final close down meeting (1 hour duration online), anticipated to be held February / March 2027. 4. Scope of work 4.1. Sorting and categorisation requirements Separately recorded sort data will be required for each block/bin store, for each phase of the WCA. This will be comprised of up to 15 blocks in total (across three local authority areas), with approximately 500-700 properties' waste across these, per phase. Residual, dry recycling and separate flexibles (where applicable) will require sorting into the high level categories set out below. For flexibles in all waste str