Islington Council's Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee has urged the local authority to bolster its recycling infrastructure, following a comprehensive review that highlighted persistent challenges in waste reduction and recycling rates.
The committee's final report, endorsed on April 13, 2026, identified a plateau in recycling performance, attributing it to a combination of structural, behavioural, and service-related factors. Specifically, challenges include limited bin capacity and outdated infrastructure on council estates, difficulties in ensuring equitable access to adequate recycling facilities in privately managed buildings, confusion around recycling instructions, a lack of trust in the recycling process, and varying levels of understanding across different resident groups such as private renters and new arrivals. Inconsistent collections, poor bin conditions, and a lack of convenient access to recycling bags and caddy liners also contribute to the problem. Despite the expansion of food waste services, capture depends on convenience, visibility, and ongoing engagement, with contamination levels remaining high.
To address these concerns, the committee has put forward a series of recommendations aimed at improving the recycling service across the borough. These include enhancing recycling communications through a wider range of formats and settings to better reach residents, particularly private renters and new arrivals. The report also calls for the development of clearer, more detailed recycling information for community groups, schools, and designated Recycling Champions.
The Do Your Bit, Recycle It
campaign, which used paid social media advertising, was found to be particularly effective in reaching residents not already engaged with council recycling communications. The impact of tri-fold materials is measured through QR-code scans and web traffic, with a full evaluation planned.
Strengthening the messaging around food waste recycling and investigating alternative disposal options are also highlighted as priorities. The report proposes investigating alternative food waste disposal options that support community engagement and local circular economy models. Logistically, the rollout of food waste services to flats above shops is underway, with considerations for collection frequency and bin capacity. Environmentally, the aim is to increase capture and reduce the amount of food waste found in residual bins, which is the largest recyclable material in residual waste. The report also mentions community-based models for food waste disposal.
The committee stressed the importance of improving recycling capacity on council estates and working with housing associations and private landlords to ensure equitable access to adequate recycling facilities. Furthermore, the report recommends enhancing the council's ability to collect, analyse, and utilise data to effectively assess the impact of recycling and waste reduction initiatives. A comprehensive waste stream tonnage audit was conducted, which raised the borough's recycling rate to 35.7% and indicated historic under-reporting. Officers reported that limited capacity and fragmented datasets restrict the ability to monitor trends or assess interventions effectively, reinforcing the need for better analytical resources.
The exploration of mobile and pop-up reuse and recycling facilities is also suggested to improve access for residents, especially those without access to a car or living far from fixed recycling sites. The committee also assessed the feasibility of establishing a physical hub to support reuse, repair, and upcycling activities, noting strong resident appetite for such initiatives. The report calls for a refresh and strengthening of the Recycling Champions programme to better support community engagement and the production of a borough-specific Reduction and Recycling Plan aligned with the Joint North London Waste Strategy. This plan is intended to provide clarity on local priorities and support future reporting back to residents, acting as a delivery document for Islington.
Finally, the recommendations include increasing the availability of caddy liners and recycling bags by expanding collection points and reviewing the capacity within the service area to effectively deliver continued improvements. References to resource limitations across services, estate improvements, and engagement work strongly validate the recommendation for a capacity review and the development of business cases to ensure the council can deliver on its recycling and waste-reduction ambitions. The full report can be found here.
