United Kingdom – A pioneering UK scheme involving the use of QR codes on collection bins to promote recycling has been outlined by the London councils of Westminster and Camden at a Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) event in London. The QR code – an abbreviation of Quick Response code – is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode.
The project called ‘Bin, Scan, Win!’ was launched this May and allows residents to enter a prize draw by scanning QR codes on the sides of recycling bins with their smart phones; once scanned, the recycling public is directed to a website where a voucher worth £ 20 (US$ 30) is given away every day. So far, around £ 2460 (US$ 3868) has been handed out.
Andrew Cook, Waste and Recycling Officer at Westminster Council, came up with the idea as he has seen first-hand that street litter is ‘a big and expensive problem’ in the area. According to his data, up to 25 000 tonnes of litter is produced every year within a 16-square-mile area. This is a much higher concentration than in any other part of the UK – and only 10% is currently recycled.
He says: ‘In the first month, we have had 236 entries into the prize draw, which is encouraging. There has been a positive response to the fact that it is an innovative idea and it has enabled us to access a new audience.’ And he urges other councils to ‘look at new ways’ of relaying a recycling message to residents, stating: ‘There is a huge expanding market for mobile devices. You need to ask how else can you communicate with users of your services.’
Recent data suggest over 60% of people in London possess a smart phone. Mr Cook expresses confidence in reaching out to an entirely new demographic – including males in the 18-34 age range who are often not loyal recyclers.
So far, the council has secured £30 000 (US$ 47 000) for the promotional campaign from the Reward and Recognition fund run by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, enabling codes to be placed on 600 bins across Westminster and Camden.
The scheme is set to run until September 2012; if it proves successful enough, the councils have announced they will be looking for a private sector partner to fund the prizes in exchange for putting its logos on the bins.
For more information, visit: www.westminster.gov.uk/services/environment/rubbishwasteandrecycling/recyclingfacilities/binscanwin/
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