Ravenscraig, Kirkcaldy

As part of a new project to introduce food waste recycling on the Ravenscraig housing estate in Kirkcaldy, Fife, metroSTOR have been working with Fife Council providing metroSTOR FX Food Waste Bin Housings for 3 multi-storey tower blocks with 258 dwellings. 

Communal bin areas in high-rise residential tower blocks present unique considerations for ensuring effective recycling capture and food waste disposal. Individual wheeled bins for residents are largely unfeasible due to the lack of storage space and practical constraints posed on collection crews, while the requirement to handle unsanitary bin lids when disposing of food waste can discourage resident participation. In these circumstances, residents will often dispose of all household waste, recyclables and food waste in one waste stream, leading to issues like blocked bin chutes, overflowing bins, and contributing to landfill sites.

Following a consultation process with Sustainable Sidekicks, operating on behalf of Fife Council, metroSTOR worked from a comprehensive brief to develop bespoke WRAP signage for food waste bins. The designs utilise behavioural science to encourage residential usage, with positive visual messaging advising and educating residents of what kinds of food waste are able to be disposed of, where it ends up and how it is utilised, and how this outcome benefits the Fife communal network. The eye-catching designs focused on infographics and pictorial messaging that were bright, colourful and playful, giving the food waste bins distinct visual appeal.

The Ravenscraig project drew inspiration from ReLondon’s, Making recycling work for people in flats project where 35no. metroSTOR FX food waste bin housings were part of new recycling and food waste facilities introduced across 4 Lambeth housing estates.The 13-month pilot scheme resulted in an average 152% increase in recycling rates, alongside a 45% reduction in food waste. The success of this scheme led to the publication of ReLondon’s Toolkit – Flats recycling package, aimed at housing providers and building managers that want to make improvements and explore new ways of increasing recycling from purpose-built flats, with guidance on introducing food waste recycling services. 

metroSTOR FX-FP models are fitted with a foot-pedal operated lid system that offers touch-free operation, making it easier for residents to participate in sustainable food waste disposal by enabling them to place their food waste directly into the container without touching the bin or lid. This design approach also limits odours and other undesirable side effects caused by food degradation by ensuring the container is kept enclosed as soon as the food waste has been deposited.