What we want to achieve

Our objective is to reduce local authority collected waste in north London, promote resource efficiency, minimise climate impacts and improve the local environment through a comprehensive and sustainable programme of campaigning and engagement activities that deliver behaviour change. We want to support a move to a circular economy, which is a model of design, production and consumption that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended which reduces waste to a minimum. Our plan is designed to make it easier for residents to participate in the circular economy through the information, support, and activities we provide.

We need to focus our activities at the top of the waste hierarchy to prevent waste and minimise its impact on the environment, but individuals cannot achieve this alone. There are key legislative changes that, if implemented effectively, could have a significant impact on the products that are placed on the market, eliminating unnecessary packaging, and ensuring what remains is fit for disposal in line with the waste hierarchy. We need central government to stop delaying and properly implement significant reforms like Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and other materials such as textiles, carpets, electrical items and all plastics, Deposit Return Scheme, and consistent collections, which continue to be delayed and watered down. Systemic changes are required to grow the circular economy, preserve vital resources, and extract the true value from everything we consume.

Every London borough must produce a Reduction and Recycling Plan for the Mayor of London. Our work delivered as part of this plan will help boroughs deliver the waste reduction element of their plans and support their recycling services.

Our aims are to:

Increase residents’ understanding of the journey of waste and the need to shift from a linear to a circular economy.
Provide information, advice, and support to enable adoption of sustainable behaviours including reuse, repair and sharing.
Increase residents’ motivation and understanding of how and why it is important to reuse and recycle effectively.
Provide policy responses and engagement with national and regional strategy development on waste prevention that represents the collective ambitions of NLWA and the constituent boroughs for waste prevention.
Campaign for central government action to increase support for the circular economy, including reforms which reduce packaging and encourage reuse and repair.
Campaign for systemic changes to reduce the manufacture and consumption of single-use and unrecyclable items.
Align with and complement the communications and engagement activities delivered by the constituent boroughs and community groups.
Work in partnership with organisations from grassroots to sector specialists to tackle common priorities and amplify waste prevention impact.