This month (Wednesday 21st May 2025), we’re hosting a dedicated webinar on Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) that will showcase how to make best use of our updated HWRC guide, as well as hearing from speakers from local authorities and waste management companies sharing good practice case studies.
Register your place on WRAP’s HWRC webinar here: Webinar Registration - Zoom
We understand that HWRCs represent a gateway to circular economy, and the need for these facilities to transition and evolve to deliver on the targets and priorities set by both local and national governments. A clear focus of good practice exists highlighting the role of HWRCs in facilitating and nurturing local networks of reuse and repair.
Our updated HWRC Guide focuses on practical and useable solutions to support local authorities and other relevant stakeholders, to make this transition in the backdrop of financial pressures and evolving regulation. The guide has been developed with input from local authority and industry representatives and presents an evidence-based approach for effective and efficient operation of HWRCs. It is split out into key sections providing advice and examples of good practice including:
- Key legislation and regulations relevant to the operation of HWRCs.
- Approaches to measuring HWRC performance and optimum service delivery models.
- Managing efficient site operations including core elements such as reuse and repair, booking systems, management of non-household waste and effective communications.
- Focus on the physical design of HWRCs and the key features of modern HWRCs.
Download WRAP’s updated HWRC Guide here
In addition to the updated HWRC guidance, WRAP has produced a series of case studies highlighting some good practice being delivered by local authorities and waste management companies at their HWRC sites.
They include:
Impact: c.100k households now have access to reuse shops across the four HWRC’s. 20,991 items weighing 105 tonnes of material have been diverted for reuse, from the first 3 shops, since the first shop opened.
Impact: Introducing the booking system led to improved traffic and site management, the ability to deal with planned and unplanned site closures more effectively and has enabled an efficient way of managing the disposal of household DIY waste.
Impact: The new larger site, and changes to design and operations, have increased capacity to manage reuse and recycling, which has improved recycling rates and customer satisfaction, while improving safety for site users and staff. The new Reuse Shop has diverted 113 tonnes of household items from residual waste streams in the first year of operation.
Impact: Foxhall Recycling Centre and Reuse Shop is Suffolk’s flagship recycling centre and has been future-proofed to cater for the long-term development of the catchment area that it serves.
Impact: In 2024/25, the shops turned over more than £1 million, with around 1,000 tonnes of reusable items diverted from disposal each year. 10% of net profits from the Revive shops is donated to support local charities with over £85,000 donated locally since 2018.
For further information, support and expert advice from our local authority team, email us on la.support@wrap.ngo.
