Our Changeprint
Our Changeprint can be measured by the health benefits of local food growing and distribution; education benefits of the laptop refurbishment scheme; circular economy benefits of significant waste reduction, increased value extraction and community wealth; and longer-term systemic benefits such as influencing product design and re-localising processing of waste into useful materials.
Our story
Derry City and Strabane District Council is one of the first local authorities in the UK to create a zero waste, circular economy strategy. Waste is a climate issue due to the emissions caused in manufacturing products that are then thrown away, and due to the methane gases released at landfill sites.
The council is working towards an economy where resources are used for as long as possible, have maximum value extracted from them and are recovered and regenerated at the end of their service life.
This is a core element of the region's Inclusive Strategic Growth Plan, and has helped the area win Zero Waste City Region designation from Zero Waste Europe. The strategy has three key aims, in order of priority:
1. Preventing waste creation, encouraging reuse, improving the design of products, and extending product life cycles;
2. Encouraging its preparation for re-use;
3. Delivering separate waste collections for recycling, composting and digestion.
The authority has outlined 37 key policy actions that will help it cut or eliminate waste and pollution from council services and activity, increase the re-use of materials and products and to develop regenerative natural systems.
To make these plans achievable, the council is attempting to shift local attitudes and behaviour to redefine waste as a vital resource. We are doing this through a combination of public education and changes to collection methods.
As a council, we are also moving the focus away from the percentages and amounts of different material gathered for recycling to the quality of the material eventually produced through the recycling process. This is important in creating future value on the commodity market as part of a circular economy.
Reuse and Recycling:
We are upgrading our household waste and recycling centres and expanding food and garden waste collections to reduce the amount of valuable waste materials entering landfill. The council is also developing a reuse and recycle economy through a partnership with New2You Reuse Centre, a local social enterprise.
Green Procurement Strategy:
We have introduced green procurement policies into plans and contracts, for all purchasing activity.
Local and Sustainable Food:
Food management is a key to creating a circular economy. The council views sustainable food production as a key priority, and our ultimate goal is a city that feeds itself.
Refurbished Laptops:
A laptop donation scheme has helped children who had no access to a device. In partnership with North West Greenway Network, Sustrans and Zero Waste North West, 400 laptops have been refurbished.
Our advice
Set up internal working groups:
In order to ensure our strategy and policy actions are delivered, the council set up a series of internal circular economy working groups. These groups develop procurement criteria, measure impacts and work with local stakeholders to create sustainability checklists and pledges.
Working in collaboration:
A fundamental aspect to getting buy-in for circular economy plans is to work in collaboration with other partners. A key partner for developing and implementing the overall strategy has been Zero Waste North West. This grassroots organisation plays an important role in developing policy actions, as well as supporting the council with wider public engagement to encourage behaviour change related to re-use and recycling.
Adopting the business case for a circular economy:
With the council under increasing financial pressure, there is a strong business case for adding circular economy waste policies into city plans. There are clear economic benefits to designing a system which can extract value from a better management of products.
The council estimate its annual bill for waste management is £10.2 million, and believes that adopting circular economy principles can create savings of £3.1 million per year, while also creating over 190 new green jobs. Furthermore, over 90% of dry recyclable materials handled by the council are exported, creating potential loss of value and employment opportunities that could be kept within the local economy.
Use of technology:
Another key factor to the council's success has been the development of technology as a means for engagement including the Emergreen Project, which helps local people access information on waste, and The City Deal Programme with Ulster University, which supports digital innovation and manufacturing technologies to make waste products easier to reuse and recycle.
