From July, all 60,000 households in the Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead will be eligible to join the initiative.

The decision follows the successful pilot implemented by recycling and waste contractor Veolia Environmental Services last year, where more than 6,500 households were invited to help test the scheme.

Recycling residents earning RecycleBank Reward Points based on the quantities they recycle, which can be traded for money-off vouchers at local retailers.

Since the launch of the optional pilot, 70% of eligible households have activated their rewards accounts and recycling tonnages in the participating households have increased by at least 35%

Today, the Royal Borough’s cabinet has given the go-ahead for a borough-wide roll out, descibed by Cllr Liam Maxwell, lead member for policy and performance, as a major breakthrough for encouraging people to change their recycling habits.

He said: “We have been absolutely delighted by the response so far. The results have exceeded even our most optimistic expectations and I would like to thank our residents for helping the Royal Borough pioneer this exciting way of reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill.

“We have demonstrated that incentives help change behaviour.

“Incentives – not penalties – are the way forward and councils in other parts of the country are following the Royal Borough’s lead as they look for ways of helping residents change the way they dispose of waste and increase their recycling.

“The beauty of the rewards programme is that everyone wins – residents, local businesses, the council and, importantly, our environment.”

Sam Bond

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