The cover of the West London Waste insight report featuring imagery of a father and a son putting plastic bottles in a waste bin.

The mission.

Understanding West London’s waste perception and behaviours 

We were commissioned by the West London Waste Authority to carry out a research project aimed at understanding West London citizens’ perceptions of the value of waste, their current behaviours and how to raise awareness about the value of waste. The project also sought to identify opportunities to engage citizens in circular economy goals and achieve long lasting net zero carbon. 

An open spread of 2 pages of the insight report, the right page features a pie chart of residents awareness of how to best dispose of their waste.

The research.

Discovering insights through in-depth overarching research 

We conducted a comprehensive study to explore waste management practices and resident behaviours. This involved focus groups with professionals and targeted surveys for both waste management professionals and residents, available in five different languages. Our research used the COM-B Model of Behaviour to capture residents’ behaviours, motivations, and barriers regarding recycling, consumption, and climate action. We distributed these widely and analysed 1,074 resident responses. In-depth interviews were conducted to further explore insights focusing on waste, consumption, climate behaviours, and community engagement. The analysis and findings were guided by behavioural science principles and frameworks which resulted in actionable recommendations for improving waste management and sustainability practices. 

The impact.

The research identified key residents’ behaviours, main behavioural insights and a series of recommendations.

By understanding how West London residents interact with waste, consumption, and climate action, the report offers strategies to enhance education, persuasion, incentivisation, and infrastructure. These recommendations support WLWA's efforts to improve waste management services, foster sustainable behaviours, and advance toward net zero carbon and circular economy goals. 

A woman with long colourful nails reading a page of the insight report detailing residents concerns over climate change.
A close up of several wheelie bins over flowing with the amount of black bin bags inside them. A woman walks down the street in the distance beside a line of parked cars.
1,074 Survey responses
4 Segments identified
22 Interviews conducted
20+ Short-term and long-term recommendations