Waste reduction projects secure £200,000 in funding in North London

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has awarded two waste reduction initiatives a total of £200,000 in funding from the North London Community Fund.

Over the next two years, the projects - an electrical repair voucher scheme and an initiative to reduce food waste - will aim to deliver targeted interventions to north London boroughs, addressing communities that are less engaged in environmental practices.

In its 2024 Annual Report, the NLWA announced that 563,508 tonnes of residual waste was produced in North London in 2023/24, an increase of approximately 6,000 tonnes from the previous year.

Waste reduction initiatives

The Restart Project, in collaboration with ReLondon, received funding to lead an electrical repair voucher scheme, which will encourage residents to repair broken electrical items instead of discarding them. Alongside the voucher trial, the Restart Project also hosts repair events, teaching people how to fix their devices.

Commenting on the voucher scheme, Fiona Dear, Co-Director of the Restart Project, said: “Other countries have found that repair vouchers are a popular measure which directly benefit citizens and local repair shops. And they’re effective at getting people into the habit of repairing. We look forward to seeing these benefits in north London.”

Circular Economy Advisor for ReLondon, Rachel Singer, added: “This is the first time that a scheme like this will be trialled in the UK, and it’s really exciting to see London spearheading the repair revolution. The project holds significant potential to unlock economic, environmental and social benefits across the capital, and support London’s efforts to become a global capital for repair.”

Octopus Community Network also received funding to introduce a unique program in Islington to support residents on council-maintained housing estates. The initiative will aim to connect residents with opportunities to compost food waste and grow food locally.

Julie Parish, Development Manager for Octopus Community Network, discussed the goals of the new program: “We will be focusing on food waste upcycling, shifting behaviour and mindsets away from throw-away waste to create rich organic matter that improves soil in which communities can come together to grow food.”

Since 2017, the North London Community Fund has awarded grants to 61 organisations across Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest. This year, the fund is trialling a tiered approach to produce grants of varying sizes, committing a total of £250,000 to support community-based waste prevention projects.

Councillor Clyde Loakes MBE, Chair of NLWA, explained that this year’s fund had a particular focus on food and electrical waste: “With food making up a third of all residual waste collected in north London and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) containing precious metals being depleted at an alarming rate, we asked applicants to focus on these waste streams.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to work in partnership with established organisations and the communities they serve in a more collaborative way.”