FORHOUSING tenants in Salford no longer have to put up with overflowing bins thanks to a portable waste compactor.
The compactor, developed by ForHousing, arrives on the back of a van and crushes down rubbish like a giant hand, making 50% more space in bins for nearly 2,500 homes across 136 housing blocks in Salford.
It has been developed as part of the landlord’s plans to work with tenants on ways to reduce household waste and keep neighbourhoods looking attractive.
On average, the team carry out over 700 visits to communal bin areas in Salford and compact over 2,000 bags of waste each month.
During the first lockdown in 2020, there was a national increase of household waste of 20%.
Tenants had reported excess rubbish bags building up alongside full bins as more people turned to online shopping with more packaging to dispose of.
This made communal areas unattractive and external contractors would also have to come in and clear away the extra waste, around the side of the bins.
Since the introduction of the compactor, the cost of reactive waste removal when rubbish has piled up at ForHousing’s high-and-low rise blocks has fallen by 62%, reducing costs for tenants, all whilst making the area more attractive.
There has also been a reduction in fly-tipping.
“I’ve really started to notice the difference,” said one tenant, Angela from Cremer House in Eccles.
“There used to always be a pile up of rubbish the day before the bins were emptied. However, now in the bin store there is nothing on the floor.”
The compactor scheme is part of a wider project that is seeing ForHousing working with Salford City Council to increase awareness of ways to reduce household waste and encourage recycling.
In partnership with the council, the landlord is sharing information to encourage tenants and residents to be kinder to the environment and keep their communities looking attractive – covering everything from meal planning to reduce food waste, to the new craze of ‘Plogging’, which sees people collect litter while our jogging.
The introduction of the compactor has also created jobs for three local people.
ForHousing is involved with the Government’s Kickstart scheme, which creates new job placements for 16 – 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment.
Kyle Tennant, aged 24 from Swinton, recently started his placement as a waste management operative with the waste compactor team through the Kickstart scheme.
He said: “I couldn’t have been put with nicer people. I enjoy coming in and am really glad to have this opportunity.”
Martyn Hague, Director of Neighbourhoods at ForHousing said: “ForHousing communities are socially attractive, aspirational areas where people want to live. We want to keep them that way.
“The waste compactor has allowed us to be proactive and innovative in tackling an issue that matters to tenants and the community. We listened to tenants and responded with speed.
“We’ve been able to work collaboratively with the council and other agencies and it is great to see it making a positive impact.
“We’re working with tenants on ways to dispose of household waste in more sustainable ways so we can be kinder to the planet and keep neighbourhoods looking good.”
The service was expanded in January and now also includes the collection and removal of large items of bulky waste and fly-tipping, with The Furniture Recycling Group taking away between 15-20 mattresses a week.
Cllr David Lancaster MBE, Lead Member for Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council, said: “This is a great example of partnership working between Salford City Council and ForHousing.
“The waste compactor is having a significant impact on the appearance of communities across Salford and solving a major problem for local tenants.
“We are also working together to encourage more recycling and reduce waste.”
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