Agenda item

            (Mr. S. Leonard, Neighbourhood Services Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Director of Neighbourhood Services advised the Members that award-winning, environmental charity Hubbub had recently approached Belfast City Council seeking to explore launching a trial of their #InTheLoop recycling on-the-go campaign to improve the city’s on-street recycling provision, alongside a communications campaign.  Hubbub had secured new funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation to run a 3-month trial in Northern Ireland and had identified Belfast as potential campaign area.

He advised that Hubbub had been developing and delivering an approach to recycling on-the-go which had first been trialled in 2018 in Leeds, and had been followed in similar trials in Swansea, Edinburgh, Dublin, Wimbledon, Telford and Wrekin and the London Borough of Lambeth.  Using the previous trials, Hubbub had tested and refined how innovative design, paired with engaging communications could change behaviour, reduce confusion about recycling and make it easier to recycle. 

The Members were shown a design of the bins that would use the #InTheLoop campaign principles, featuring a bright yellow background making it highly visible on the street. This approach would prioritise the collection of high-quality materials (plastic bottles, cans, and glass) and aim to reduce the factors that lead to contamination.  Alongside the installation of the new bins, Hubbub would deliver a press launch announcing the trial and a communications campaign, including a paid social media campaign, engagement with the local business improvement district and other local stakeholders. This would raise awareness of the campaign and help to educate consumers about how to recycle correctly, as well as seeking to encourage the use of reusable containers where possible. 

The Committee was advised that, should the Members agree to this request, it was anticipated that the campaign would launch around April or May and would be actively promoted and monitored for a period of 3 months. After this point, the Council would have the option to continue the collections but there was no commitment beyond this trial point.  The Committee was also advised that an evaluation report would be carried out that would record how effective the trial had been in increasing re-cycling in the pilot bins and with recommendations as to how the pilot could be scaled up.

The Members discussed suitable locations for the placing of the new dual bins (one recycling and one normal street litter bin) throughout the city in order to maximise their potential to ensure that they were positioned where high levels of recyclable material was generated. 

During discussion, the Neighbourhood Services Manager highlighted that, based on current cost estimates, it was estimated that the funding of £22,000 being allocated would fund in the region of 20-25 bins (this total included approximately 12 yellow re-cycling bins and 12 normal black street litter bins).

Moved by Councillor Flynn,

Seconded by Councillor Maghie,

      That the Committee agrees to place a trial recycling bin in a park/open space in North, South and West Belfast with the rest in the city centre.

Amendment

Moved by Councillor Magee,

Seconded by Councillor de Faoite,

      That the Committee agrees to proceed with the pilot based on placing recycling bins in the 4 quadrants of the city and also in the city centre, to ensure an even spread throughout all areas and not just the city centre.

On a vote, eight Members voted for the amendment and five against and it was declared carried.

            The amendment was agreed as the substantive motion.

The Committee approved the request from Hububb for Belfast to take part in a trial #InTheLoop recycling on-the-go campaign and agreed to proceed with the pilot based on placing recycling bins in the 4 quadrants of the city and in the city centre and noted that an evaluation report would be available following the pilot.