Prestigious award nominations for Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service

The Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service, with the University of Cambridge, has been shortlisted for UK-wide awards that showcase the best in recycling and waste management, for work on a large underground bin system.

The service is a partnership between South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Councils. Its efforts in helping develop and collect waste from the largest underground bin system in the UK at Eddington, the University of Cambridge’s North West Cambridge Development, have been recognised ahead of the MRW National Recycling Awards 2018.

The scheme sees residents place their recycling and waste into steel bin chutes set into the pavement outside their homes. This falls into large underground chambers, removing the need for thousands of wheelie bins. As a result, residents don’t need to store or move bins or remember when and which ones to put out for collections.

This work has been recognised with nominations for the Shared Waste Service in two categories at the awards. The first is Local Authority Innovation and the second is Partnership Excellence, along with the University of Cambridge, in the Public / Private Sector category.

The first category will see the waste service go head-to-head with councils in Brighton and Hove, Hackney, Perth and Kinross, Wales, South Staffordshire and Torfaen. In the second category, Greater Cambridge’s waste team will be competing with bodies including the Bank of England, Camden Council and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.

The Head of Greater Cambridge Shared Waste, Trevor Nicoll, said: “We’re extremely pleased with the nominations. They’re proof our team’s efforts put them among the leaders in our field. Together with the University of Cambridge, our shared service between South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Councils has formed a long-term partnership to achieve an industry-leading solution to waste management at Eddington.”

Operations Director of the North West Cambridge Development, Warren Forsyth, said: “Through partnership working between the University of Cambridge and the Shared Waste Service on the scheme at Eddington, we have delivered a unique solution to waste and recycling. Our ambition is to help people to think differently about recycling and to lead more sustainable lives.”

Robin Latchem, Editor of Materials Recycling World (MRW) which sponsors the awards, added: “Our awards are often the first to highlight innovation and best practice in recycling and waste management and it’s exciting to see previous winners establishing themselves as exemplars of resource efficiency. To celebrate and share in victory on the night is the icing on the cake.”

The winners of the National Recycling Awards 2018 will be revealed on Thursday 28 June in London, where the industry elite will come together for a night of recognition and celebration of the sector’s achievements.