This has been Podback’s first year as a sponsor of LARAC, and we have found the experience to be really valuable.
As a recycling start-up, attending the regional events and the national conference has given us the opportunity to begin and build relationships with local authorities; and excitingly, many of these will start to come to fruition in 2023. Next year is going to be a busy one, as we continue our mission to make kerbside recycling of pods available to 50% of UK households.
Whatever the event, the question we always look forward to being asked is:
“So, how do we get involved, and how long does it take?”
Although no two programmes are identical, the process of getting started is the same:
Project scoping
We start with an introductory meeting to find out more about the local authority’s existing waste and recycling service, how adding pods to the service might work, and the resource and budget required to launch and operate it.
This is a wide-ranging conversation to help us understand the waste and recycling service operation: from the location of depots and waste transfer stations, to the number and type of vehicles and collection rounds. As the service is cost neutral to the authority, Podback also needs to work out what it will cost to add pods, so we will also discuss the requirements for collection vehicle modifications, staffing resources and communications support.
Business Case
If, after this meeting, the local authority decides to go ahead we ask them to provide more detailed information about their service, to help us design the service. This stage of the process is a deeper dive into the operational data so that we can develop a costed business case. As every Podback scheme includes a communications campaign which runs for 12-14 weeks, we also need to understand the requirements for engaging and educating residents about the service.
The business case covers every aspect of developing, running and launching a pod recycling service for the first year of operation. It can include vehicle modifications and providing additional resource in terms of staff, space or equipment. Communications is typically based on an initial leaflet drop to all households, but needs to include developing information for call centres, website, social media channels. If there are additional channels available, for example for outdoor advertising or vehicle livery, we will include these in the model.
Once finalised, the business case is shared with the Podback operations committee, for budget review and approval.
Mobilisation
Once we have this internal approval we move on to ‘Mobilisation’ – which is where the various pieces in the jigsaw are put together to make the service a reality. Firstly, a legal agreement is required. A launch ‘window’ is then agreed and work can begin on procuring the necessary equipment and developing the communications campaign.
Podback manages the process, and works closely with the local authority team to plan each stage and then develop a project plan, set milestones and keep track of progress.
What is the timescale from data sharing to launch?
As with any project, there are any number of factors that could affect the length of time it takes to move a project through these stages. We are always mindful of the demands on local authority teams’ time, and appreciate that some aspects of the process can take weeks to complete.
Once the contract has been signed, it can be a matter of a couple of months until a service is ready to launch; as much of the service has already been planned at the business case stage. As the programme develops we are constantly looking at ways to streamline each step of the process.
If you are interested in finding out more about adding pods to your kerbside recycling service please contact us to set up a meeting.
Contact: contact@podback.org.
