Local authorities are repeatedly required to find innovative ways of saving money. One cost saving initiative employed by many local authorities is a home composting campaign. This can be achieved at little or no cost with Straight plc.

Straight plc, runs the National Home Composting Framework. This pre-tendered programme offers local authorities a fully managed solution for the supply of home compost bins sold at a discounted price and delivered directly to householders. The service includes promotion and home delivery. Bulk supplies of compost bins are also available through the Framework. Compost bins are made in the Straight factory using polymers derived from recycled bottles and using renewable energy.

Whilst the home composting schemes can run without cost to councils, in 2010 Straight commissioned recycling consultancy Resource Futures to look at the real value of home composing to local authorities in order to encourage modest investments in promotion or subsidy of the units.

The results demonstrated that the financial savings for local authorities associated with the provision of home composting bins are substantial and that savings for a local authority over a the estimated 15 year lifetime of a compost bin could be in the region of £190 per unit.

As an example, a local authority running a scheme across 50,000 households with high bin distribution potential while providing a modest subsidy could see savings of more than £600,000. The report concluded that there is a clear trade off between the level of update of a home composting bin offer and the extent to which the local authority or the member of the public pays for the bin itself. Where subsidy or promotional investment is applied, the initial costs are higher but then the take-up is also higher.

The home composting initiative, which succeeded the WRAP home composting programme, has been extremely well received with tens of thousands of units delivered each season. The scheme also raises money for cancer research and is backed by TV characters The Clangers.

Download the report here.

For further information please contact:
e: info@straight.co.uk
t: +44 (0)113 245 2244

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