Epsom & Ewell Borough Council recently conducted a survey on our year old simply weekly recycling service to gauge residents' satisfaction levels. Overall residents overwhelmingly like the service and are recycling more too. 

Simply Weekly Recycling was launched in summer 2017. In the twelve months following the launch, we recycled a whopping 1,300 more tonnes of dry recycling (items that go in the green recycling bin and glass box) than we did in the previous twelve months. 

Some of the survey's headline findings include:

• The vast majority of respondents (96%) found it easy or very easy to understand the Big Switch, and to use the service thereafter.
• The vast majority of respondents (90%) are satisfied or very satisfied with the service.
• Nearly half of respondents said they recycle more with Simply Weekly Recycling. Recycling has continued to rise since the Big Switch, bucking the trend of falling recycling generally in Surrey.
• A quarter of respondents told us that having more information would help them recycle more. 

Cllr Peter O'Donovan, Chairman of the Council's Environment and Safe Communities Committee said, "Following on from what you told us in the simply weekly recycling survey and in an effort to ensure everyone in Epsom and Ewell knows what to put in which bin, we’ve produced a new recycling guide which will be delivered to all households this month - look out for it! 

"In particular, the new guide gives you more details on what types of plastic you should and shouldn't recycle in your green bin. This year it has become harder and more expensive to recycle plastics, especially after China stopped accepting plastics for recycling earlier this year. To help us keep costs down, we need your help in sorting out what plastics should go in your recycling bin, and what shouldn't. 

"And thank you for recycling. Your efforts really do make a difference." 

All information on Simply Weekly Recycling including the new guide and full survey results are all available at www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/recycling

Summary of survey results:

Overall, nine in ten respondents are satisfied with Simply Weekly Recycling service. The majority of respondents stated that they found it easy to understand the changes made to the service. However, it’s worth noting that since the Big Switch the majority of respondents stated that they have recycled the same amount.

When asked if there was anything the council could do to help them recycle more, respondents stated more information or clearer guidance on items for recycling; more recycling options/ weekly or free garden waste collection etc. More information or clearer guidance on items for recycling seemed to be a common theme as it was cited when respondents were asked if there was anything they thought was a barrier to recycling. Other barriers to recycling include tip opening times or charges; bin sizes/ space limitations/ fox proof food caddies etc.

When asked what they liked most about Simply Weekly Recycling, respondents stated weekly collections/ less build-up; easier/ simpler/ less sorting; ability to recycle more/ bigger bins etc.

Respondents stated that what they least liked was bin sizes/ quantity/ space limitation; bins split/ left obstructing access/ incorrectly returned and that they would prefer weekly/ free garden waste etc.

Overall, respondents are satisfied with the service and have raised some development points for consideration to help improve the service further.

The full results of the Simply Weekly Recycling survey are available at: https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/residents/recycling-and-waste/simply-weekly-recycling-survey-results