#weRpollards
Working together to improve recycling and waste disposal on Pollards Hill Estate
Pollards Hill Estate is a large housing estate situated in the east of the borough of Merton and managed by Moat Housing. Over the last few years the estate has faced a number of challenges in maintaining a successful waste management process, this has resulted in low recycling rates as well as high contamination levels.
Having listened to residents' views on recycling and waste disposal on the estate, including their concerns about overflowing bins and regular occurrences of fly-tipping, Moat has partnered with Sustainable Merton to bring to the community a recycling and behaviour change campaign, generously funded by Moat Foundation and Pollards Hill Community Committee.
Our Campaign
As part of the project, volunteer Waste Champions are being recruited to act as ambassadors for better recycling and behaviours around waste on the estate. There has been a fantastic response with residents meeting every month for a common cause. The Waste Champions are helping design and deliver the ongoing #weRpollards campaign.
The campaign will see brand new bin wrappings rolled out across the estate, an educational campaign and partnerships with local organisations. Various events such as last year's 'Spring Litter Pick' have already taken place with more events and behaviour-change drives to come. The project aims to reset the whole attitude around waste, whilst fostering a greater sense of pride in the local community.
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BEFORE
AFTER
Creating positive change
The campaign aims to reduce waste through reducing environmentally wasteful consumption and increasing reuse and repair of items which would otherwise go to waste. It also aims to increase recycling, tackle fly-tipping, and foster a greater sense of pride in the local environment.
Reducing waste locally is good for the planet and contributes to Merton's wider Climate Action Plan, as wasting less = reduced demand for raw materials = fewer carbon emissions. Further, improving recycling rates, including food waste recycling, reduces the amount of waste being incinerated, which is emission intensive.
Sustainable Merton are working with Moat and other partners such as local schools and community centres, to educate the community on more environmentally friendly waste disposal , also organising action days that will bring people together and raise awareness of the issue.
We are recruiting Waste Champions!
We are still looking for volunteer Waste Champions who reside on the estate to engage, educate and organise with their neighbours on this issue. During the initial phase of the project, we are looking for Champions who live in or near Caernarvon, Glamorgan, Montgomery and Radnor Close.
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Our Waste Champions meet regularly and work together to encourage positive behaviour change around recycling habits and waste disposal, strengthen community connections and bring people together through a shared sense of pride in where they live.
Education will focus on reducing, reusing and recycling, to decrease waste, recycling contamination and fly-tipping. There will also be fun, community-organised engagement events and workshops to enable action.
We are asking Champions to give an average of 2 - 4 hours per month, including occasional evenings. But this will vary per month.
Join our team!
If you are interested in being a Waste Champion, please complete our short sign-up form HERE.
For further information about this volunteering opportunity or the campaign, including how you can support us, please send an email to weRpollards@sustainablemerton.org.
Community action for a cleaner, greener Pollards!
Our volunteer Waste Champions receive training and support and are part of a close group of passionate, local people, whose voices matter! Some activities which waste champions are taking part in are:
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Meeting with each other and neighbours to understand the challenges with waste disposal
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Helping design a campaign to challenge waste disposal behaviour
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Knocking on doors in teams to educate neighbours on better waste disposal behaviours
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Organising fun engagement days e.g. trips to nature, litter picking, recycling art competitions, reuse workshops
Pollards Hill Recycling Resources
What can you recycle in the communal recycling bins on Pollards Hill Estate?
Visit The Wheel: Merton's waste reduction and circular economy digital hub
Where can I recycle my electricals?
A Sustainable Merton project
Generously supported by
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