Resource Use

#WasteNothingChallenge sees Bristol producing 77 per cent less waste

Bristol Waste Company recently announced that households across the city taking part in the #WasteNothingChallenge produced 77 per cent less waste than the average UK household.

The challenge, in its second year, saw 100 households attempt to get to zero waste in just 12 months, with residents generating around 2.1kg of general waste per week as a result.

A knife piercing a pile of potato peelThe results show the significant difference that any Bristol resident could make, with participants additionally achieving a 75 per cent recycling rate, as well as producing 34 per cent less plastic waste.

Participants taking part in the challenge were asked to keep a record of their progress by weighing their waste and recycling every week.

The challenge was first run in 2019, with Bristol Waste additionally holding practical workshops and discussion events to improve waste education amongst residents.

The project was backed by more than 30 local businesses who provided support to participants including items for the zero-waste start-up kit, discounts at their shops and workshops.

If every household reduced their general waste by 10 per cent, the Bristol Waste Company estimates, over 9,500 tonnes of waste could be saved, the carbon equivalent of which could power over 4,000 homes for a year.

Gwen Frost, Head of Innovation and Sustainability at Bristol Waste said: “Households from across Bristol have shown what a phenomenal difference a few simple changes can make – and that they’re even achievable in a pandemic!

“Simply by planning your shop or remembering to take reusable items with you when you leave the house, you can massively reduce the waste you generate.

“We can all learn from the households that have taken part and make small changes in our daily lives to do our bit to reduce waste and make Bristol a more sustainable city.

“With many of us spending a lot more time at home, there is no better time to start.

“Why not try meal planning to make the most of the food you already have, learn new recipes using parts of food you might otherwise throw away, or growing some of your own food from seeds or from scraps?

“These households managed to produce a staggering 77 per cent less waste than the average Bristol household with a few simple steps.

“If we all just made a 10 per cent reduction it could prevent thousands of tonnes of waste, save enough carbon to power 3,000 homes for a year and save the city hundreds of thousands of pounds.”