What NLWA and local authorities can do

What NLWA already does

At NLWA our aim is to preserve today’s resources and environment for future generations. We are committed to innovation and careful planning to ensure we manage waste resources effectively and sustainably. We work with residents, schools and businesses to promote waste minimisation and recycling to preserve resources and reduce the amount of waste produced. We aim to promote a circular economy, keeping materials in use and out of the waste stream for as long as possible.

This vision for NLWA is set out in our Joint Waste Strategy, with the main goal of promoting the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle as part of a circular economy. We are currently in the process of refreshing our Joint Waste Strategy so it is up-to-date and fit for the future.

Further supporting our vision is the range of initiatives outlined in our Waste Prevention Plan. This large and detailed program of work, lasting from 2022-25, is already making a difference in reducing and preventing waste across north London.

Some of the tangible outcomes we’ve achieved so far include:

• We have reduced the rate of municipal waste sent to landfill to just 0.6% in 2022-23, through the effective work of our reuse and recycling centres and by generating energy from waste at the Edmonton facility.
• We have invested in innovative new ways of recycling items that would previously have gone to waste, such as mattresses and polystyrene.
• We have supported community groups to run grassroots waste reduction programs through the North London Community Fund, which saw us distribute £250,000 in 2023 alone.
• Since 1971, our Edmonton EcoPark has generated electricity from over 21 million tonnes of rubbish that would otherwise have gone to landfill, lessening the carbon impact of disposal and generating cleaner energy.
• Through the North London Heat and Power Project we are developing a new, state-of-the-art facility to replace the 52-year-old EcoPark, which will generate both electricity and heat for local homes.

What we want to continue doing

We’ll continue to support circular economy initiatives, working closely with our seven north London borough partners to minimise waste and continually improve how we manage it.

• We will continue to run advocacy and education campaigns to help support the local community decrease their waste and know how to dispose of things properly. We use expert behaviour change methodologies to ensure our projects are effective and impactful.
• We will continue to work with local authorities to build better waste infrastructure and support the development of careers in sustainable waste management, for example through apprenticeships and training placements on the NLHPP.
• We will work closely with the community to make sure our goals and priorities align with residents’ expectations. As part of the development of our new Joint Waste Strategy, we listened to public responses to ensure the Strategy is informed by residents’ views. 

In order for us and other local authorities to continue to promote a circular economy, we need to be supported by policy and legislation from central government. We need central government to consult with us on initiatives to ensure they are workable at the local level and meet the needs of local authorities. Local authorities also need to be empowered with funding and legislative support to implement solutions that work for our specific jurisdictions. For more specific examples of what we’re asking from government, please see our webpage What central government can do.