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Local authorities have been invited to sign up to a new set of principles designed to improve residents' satisfaction with their waste and recycling services.

The principles, which have been drawn up by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) following consultation with more than 2,000 households, are based on residents' likes and dislikes about their existing services.

The consultation found that, while more than 80 per cent of residents were satisfied with their recycling and waste collections, almost half were unhappy with the way these services were communicated. It revealed that 58 per cent were satisfied with communications about what items could be recycled while 54 per cent were satisfied with communications about reasons for the 'rules'.

The voluntary Waste Collection Commitment addresses these issues in an easy to understand format, and has been awarded a Crystal Mark by the Plain English Campaign.

Local authorities promise to provide 'waste and recycling services which are good value for money and which meet the need of our residents'. The ten step commitment also promises to 'explain clearly' the services available and any rules relating to these and the reasons behind them and to 'tell [residents] in good time' if any changes to the service need to be made.

Phillip Ward, director of local government services at WRAP, said: 'Our research shows residents up and down the country have a common view about what to expect from a collection scheme. The things they want are reasonable and not hard to deliver: a reliable, regular service that they can understand, which makes it easy for them to recycle and leaves their streets clean.'

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