Recycling has just got much more rewarding, with the launch today of the UK’s first scheme that gives households a new incentive to recycle their waste. RecycleBank, which has taken the US by storm, awards Points to households for recycling that can be redeemed at Marks & Spencer, cashed-in for goods and services at local shops, restaurants and attractions or converted into real-cash donations to charities.
Initially the scheme is being trialed in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, where RecycleBank is working with the council and waste management company, Veolia Environmental Services, to bring the scheme to 2,800 households. Following this trial, it will be rolled out across the country.
In return for RecycleBank points, M&S will be offering £5.00 vouchers redeemable against a £25 food spend or a £35 clothing, home or beauty spend in UK stores.* M&S has shown its support for the scheme by signing up as RecycleBank’s leading reward partner. Richard Gillies, Director of Plan A and Sustainable Business at M&S, said: “This scheme is a win-win for the environment and our customers, and we're delighted shoppers are going to be getting money off in our stores in return for recycling. Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill is a key target of our 100 point eco-plan, Plan A, and we’re hoping this innovative service will add to the impressive number of people who are already doing their bit. “
In addition to M&S, 54 other reward partners have signed up to the scheme, which include Legoland Windsor, Subway, Coffee Republic, Rodale Books and Snappy Snaps, as well as local shops, restaurants, leisure facilities and charities.
The scheme will initially focus on rewarding households for their garden waste recycling and expand to include household waste later in the year. Residents will be awarded RecycleBank Points every time they put their green waste bin out for collection and these Points can then be redeemed with any of the scheme’s reward partners. For the first three months of the scheme the residents will get triple points as an added incentive.
Cllr David Burbage, the Royal Borough’s Leader said: ‘’Our residents are keen recyclers and thanks to their efforts we currently have a 37% recycling rate. Now we want to reward our residents for recycling even more. “
Cllr Liam Maxwell, Royal Borough’s Lead Cabinet Member for Sustainability, said: ‘’The Royal Borough is leading the way in recycling. We believe in rewarding our residents for their recycling efforts, not imposing penalties. We are excited about launching a pilot scheme that has the potential to boost recycling, reduce waste sent to landfill and also help support the economy by supporting local businesses. It’s win-win-win for everyone.’’
There is no change to the normal waste collection routine and households do not need to do anything differently with their bin. There is also no charge to householders for the RecycleBank scheme.
Residents activate and view their RecycleBank account on RecycleBank’s website www.RecycleBank.com or via its call centre 0800 077 6009.
Matthew Tucker, President of RecycleBank, said: “RecycleBank is excited to enter the UK and bring a valuable rewards scheme to households to encourage recycling. We have significantly increased recycling volumes across the USA, boosting recycling rates anywhere from 30-100%. We service one million people across 19 states, bringing economic benefits to both local economies and residents.
“By using this rewards system the local authority will enjoy an economic benefit through the potential reduction in landfill disposal costs and taxes, while retail partners gain visibility, customer brand loyalty and the reputation of an environmentally conscious company. At the same time, residents take an active role in helping the environment and are rewarded with goods and services or can make donations to charities through the points they gain. This scheme offers real benefits for all parties involved; never more important than in today’s tough times.”
Paul Levett, Deputy Chief Executive for Veolia Environmental Services said: ‘’At Veolia Environmental Services we’re proud to be driving forward the first launch of the RecycleBank rewards scheme in the UK. We’re confident it will help increase recycling rates in the area and we hope it will encourage other local authorities to take up similar programmes. As the leading waste management company in the UK, it demonstrates our commitment to utilise the most progressive technologies and practices available.’’
To find out more about the RecycleBank scheme visit www.RecycleBank.com or call 0800 077 6009.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
RecycleBank:
Sam Dorney
Tel: 01625 578578
e-mail: sam.dorney@iasb2b.co.uk
Veolia:
Lily Federico
Tel: 020 7812 5027
Email: lily.federico@veolia.co.uk
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead:
Cllr David Burbage, Leader of the Council
Tel: 07855 346750
Cllr Liam Maxwell, Lead Cabinet Member for Sustainability
Tel: 07967 077294
M&S
Jo Keohane
Tel: 0208 718 1618
Email: joannakeohane@marks-and-spencer.com
Notes to the Editor
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has demonstrated its unequivocal commitment to sustainability and action against climate change by signing up to the Nottingham Declaration in 2007. The Council has an ambitious sustainability and carbon reduction programme, setting stringent carbon reduction targets from now until 2050.
Waste reduction programmes have resulted in a 37% recycling rate across the borough, with initiatives such as providing 5,000 free composters to residents over the past year and introducing a green waste collection scheme that has been so successful a second collection vehicle has had to be put on the road.
The borough ‘green credentials’ extend through its planning processes, for example supporting the provision of wind powered electricity at Windsor, and also through a borough-wide programme to increase tree and shrub planting and to promote the use of sustainable planting in our local parks and open spaces.
The introduction of recycling rewards is yet another step forward in the Council’s determination to give residents realistic choices about how we can fight climate change together.
Veolia Environmental Services
Veolia Environmental Services, part of the Veolia Environnement Group, is the UK’s leading waste management company. With a sizeable presence throughout the UK, mainland Europe and the world, Veolia Environmental Services employs over 97,000 people worldwide, servicing more than 79 million customers in over 40 countries.
Veolia Environmental Services is the only global provider of a full range of services for handling hazardous and non-hazardous solid and liquid waste. It provides waste management and logistics services as well as materials recovery and recycling. Veolia Environmental Services generated revenue of €10.14 billion in 2008.
Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE and NYSE: VE) is the worldwide reference in environmental services. The company has operations all around the world and provides tailored solutions to meet the needs of municipal and industrial customers in four complementary segments: water management, waste management, energy management and freight and passenger transportation. Veolia Environnement recorded revenue of €36.2 billion in 2008.
Further information can be obtained by visiting the websites:
www.veolia.co.uk
www.veoliaenvironnement.com
Veolia Environnement is proud to sponsor the Natural History Museum's 2009 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
RECYCLEBANK
RecycleBank is a rewards program that motivates people to recycle by quickly and easily measuring the amount of material each home recycles and then converting that activity into RecycleBank Points that can be used at hundreds of local and national rewards partners.
RecycleBank is simple to implement, market-driven, and proven to work; saving local authorities’ money and rewarding residents for their environmental stewardship.
RecycleBank has offices in New York City and London. It was recently honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer and by the UN as a 2009 Champion of the Earth. RecycleBank currently services one million people across 19 states in America and has helped city authorities dramatically increase recycling participation in places like Florida, Texas and Massachusetts.
Visit www.recyclebank.com for more information.
Marks & Spencer
* Vouchers
- For the first three months households signing up to the scheme will be able to swap:
- 5 RecycleBank points for a £5 voucher to use with their next purchase of £25 or more on food
- 65 RecycleBank points for a £5 voucher to use with their next purchase of £35 or more on clothing, home or beauty at M&S stores.
- In the first three months of the scheme with 300 bonus points for joining and the triple points offer households could earn up to eleven £5.00 money off vouchers to spend in Marks & Spencer stores (excludes Republic of Ireland, Simply Food Railway Stations/Service Stations/Airports/Hospitals, BP Connect and Outlet Products)
- After that households can swap 150 RecycleBank points for a £5 voucher to use with their next purchase of £25 or more on food and 130 RecycleBank points for a £5 voucher to use with their next purchase of £35 or more on clothing, home or beauty spend at M&S stores.
- There may also be ad hoc extra bonus points awarded during the year as the scheme rolls out.
Background on Plan A
In January 2007, M&S launched Plan A, a five year 100 point eco plan to tackle a wide range of environmental and social challenges.
The plan is organised around five pillars which represent the key areas where M&S believe they can make their business both more sustainable and kinder to the environment. These five areas are: Climate Change, Waste, Sustainable Raw Materials, Health and being a Fair Partner.
Each pillar has its own goal. By 2012 M&S aims to:
• Become carbon neutral
• Send no waste to landfill
• Extend sustainable sourcing
• Help improve the lives of people in our supply chain
• Help customers and employees live a healthier life-styles
Recycling Textiles
As part of Plan A in January 2008 Marks & Spencer launched the innovative M&S and Oxfam clothes Exchange to reduce the number of clothes sent to landfill and raise money for lifesaving charity work.
Consumers bringing back M&S clothing to Oxfam shops through the exchange receive a £5 M&S voucher redeemable against a £35 spend on clothing, home or beauty products at M&S.
Since launch, the Exchange has encouraged 875 000 M&S customers donate used clothing to Oxfam, helping raise an extra £1.9 million for their overseas development work and helping to ensure that over 3 million garments that could have otherwise gone to landfill are re-used.
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