Household Recycling Code of Practice: Consultation document

5. Communications

5.1 What the Code proposes

The Code proposes that local authorities maintain a communications strategy for household waste and recycling services. Residents should receive clear and timely information about their services through a range of channels, including online and print resources and in-person engagement. The effectiveness of their communications activity should be reviewed periodically.

5.2 Impact of the proposed change

The proposed approach is intended to deliver activities that improve public understanding of household recycling services, increase participation in recycling collections and reduce contamination of waste and recycling streams.

Many local authorities already undertake communications activity and provide information on recycling and waste services to the public. For these authorities, there is unlikely to be significant change beyond encouraging communications to be planned, regularly reviewed and aligned with the expectations of the Code. As collection systems become more aligned through implementation of the Code, opportunities for shared messaging should increase. More consistent services should make communications easier to deliver and easier for householders to understand.

The Code may result in additional communications activity where local authorities are implementing changes to align their services with its requirements. Under packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR), efficient and effective costs associated with the collection and management of packaging waste are funded through payments made under the scheme. Where communications activity is required to support service changes relating to packaging waste and contributes to the environmental outcomes set out in the four-nation pEPR policy framework, these costs may be reflected within local authority payments under pEPR. National policies on waste management, including this Code of Practice, will inform the scheme administrator's assessment of the effectiveness of waste management services.

Separately to the Code itself, further consideration of how national communications will support local communications is required after consultation.

5.3 How co-design arrived at this proposal

In developing this section of the Code, the findings of several reports were considered with local authorities. These highlighted the importance of well-resourced communications as part of delivering effective recycling services, driving behaviour change and improving recycling rates.^[31] Effective recycling campaigns should use a mix of communication channels to reach diverse audiences. Recommended channels include social media, community engagement partnerships, direct marketing and word of mouth.^[32]

Applying evidence-based behaviour change approaches to recycling communications,^[33] can address barriers to participation.^[34] Targeted communications and behaviour change interventions improve recycling performance, particularly where they address specific barriers to participation and use proven approaches like social norm messaging.^[35]

There was broad agreement by co-design participants that effective communications are essential to achieving the wider objectives of the Code. Participants at a Communications Deep Dive session facilitated by the Scottish Government highlighted that even well-designed collection systems can underperform if residents are unclear about how to use them. Some local authority representatives noted that including communications within the Code would mean it is more likely to be treated as a core service function and allocated appropriate resources. Clear information, thorough engagement and ongoing reinforcement were all identified as important factors in supporting behaviour change to improve recycling.

Changes to collection systems and recycling services can only deliver their intended outcomes if householders understand how to use services correctly. The Code therefore presents communications as a core element of service delivery. Additional supporting guidance may be needed to support the implementation of the Code by providing examples of good practice, including the use of multiple communication channels, community engagement approaches, evaluation methods and the use of national communications resources, such as the established Recycle for Scotland brand.

There was also a strong desire for national communications to support implementation of the new Code.