Leading waste management software provider Routeware discusses current trends in the design and optimisation of local authority waste collection services.
The principles of good service design have steadily become more widespread across local government over the last 10 years. Most projects now start with research into the needs of service users before moving through iterative cycles of ideation and prototyping with regular input from user feedback.
For waste and environmental teams, service design over recent years has also been strongly influenced and constrained by shifting government policies from extended producer responsibility (EPR) to deposit return schemes (DRS) to local government reorganisation. And all the while, ever tighter budgets mean authorities must continue to optimise for efficiency and cost savings.
Within this context we have seen a number of trends emerge across our 150 local government customers as they look to continue delivering services that are effective, inclusive and sustainable.
Waste segregation
While the overall direction towards increased segregation remains consistent, the legislation has been through a number of iterations, and many local authorities have been in a difficult position waiting for clarity and guidance before investing in new schemes.
As it stands, the implementation of Simpler Recycling requires that by 31 March 2025, all but the smallest businesses in England will need to arrange for the collection of the core recyclable waste streams (glass, metal, plastic, paper and card, and food waste).
For household collections that make up the bulk of local government services, authorities have until 31 March 2026 to start collecting the core recyclable waste streams, including weekly food waste collections for most homes, from all households in England.
While the increased clarity has been generally well received, DEFRA recognised early on the potential for lots of authorities to need help all at the same time as the legislation rolled out. Whether it’s service design software or consultancy, getting customers up and running takes time.
Solutions like route optimisation, which can quickly evaluate possible service scenarios, are being widely used by local authorities, but given the limited number of suppliers it’s crucial that councils don’t engage too late if they are to meet timescales.
Infrastructure and equipment
The investments required in infrastructure and equipment are a huge factor for authorities as they consider the design of new services. Many would love to offer new or updated services, but are limited by current resources, assets and budgets.
Electric refuse collection vehicles for example are something that many councils are considering to support their drive towards increased sustainability and meeting climate commitments. But it’s important to understand how these vehicles will work in practice, and some leading contractors and authorities have been collecting data to support the potential roll-out across their wider fleets.
Important factors that are being assessed include driver behaviour, the type of collections, seasonality, and required mileages and battery usage. By plugging this data into route optimisation software operators are then able to develop benchmarks for future routing, to ensure that their rounds are achievable throughout the year.
Public engagement and education
Another service design trend is the continued push by local authorities to better engage with their residents. The use of digital technologies to interact with citizens now goes beyond simply using web forms to replace costly phone calls.
Many councils are addressing the high cost of contamination among recycling streams by using digital services to engage and educate residents on how to recycle more effectively and in doing so generating more longstanding behaviour change.
Figures from WRAP on recycling attitudes and reported behaviour in 2020 revealed that over four in five (82%) of UK households add one or more items to their recycling collection that their council cannot recycle.
Apps like our own Waste Wizard are helping citizens identify how to correctly dispose of a waste item and present a list of popular searches to users to make it easier for people to find items that many other recyclers are struggling with (think nappies, food waste and textiles).
These digital tools are also offering councils a great way to engage with residents across different demographics and multiple languages, reaching people who may not have been responsive to more traditional leaflet-based information.
Technology and AI
Technology now underpins almost every service design project. For example, many local authorities are connecting route design and optimisation systems with real-time monitoring data from in-cab, GPS tracking and telematics systems to automate the capture of service data and then use data-driven tools to optimise collection routes, reduce errors, and improve service performance.
More recent developments are using AI on collection vehicles to spot contamination, in much the same way we are used to seeing in Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs).
While many drivers can use solutions today to manually record contamination of a container as they make a collection, new systems will see vehicle-mounted AI-enabled cameras automatically identify contamination such as a wrong colour bag, inappropriate material, or other bad practice such as an overflowing bin.
Routeware can be contacted through their website at www.routeware.co.uk.
