Closing Refuse Chutes in High-Rise Buildings

Is this really as difficult as it sounds?

High-rise buildings have been built with refuse chutes for many years, mainly for the convenience of residents. The trouble with this is the increase in volume over the decades since they were designed, and also the change in composition with more combustible material, particularly plastics. Storing this within the building with what is potentially a chimney with smoke outlets on each floor necessitates costly fire prevention measures, and then there’s the continual problem of chute blockages and the fact that residents don’t recycle very much when they have a chute as the easy option.

So with the current focus on Building Safety, many landlords are looking for a way to decommission chutes, but of course the immediate questions always arise: How will we get the agreement of residents? Won’t they just leave bags on the landings? Well, the good news is that this process has already been completed by a number of landlords very successfully, and we’re pleased to be able to offer you the opportunity to join a number of events over the next few months where you can learn from their experience and develop a framework for implementing this on your buildings.

2nd and 15th May 10am – 2pm

Workshop Three: Hounslow High-rise Waste Management Workshop

The third workshop in the series will take place at Brentford Towers, Hounslow on May 2nd and 15th. It aims to showcase the successful implementation of closing refuse chutes across the estate’s blocks and presenting feedback from residents and staff. The event will include a site tour led by Tom McCarthy, Estate Team Leader, starting at 10am, followed by a presentation, lunch, and Q&A session at the London Museum of Water & Steam, conveniently located near Kew Bridge station with nearby parking available.

Read on to find out more about these events.

Workshop One: Online Webinar Event

LB of Hounslow Case Study:

18th October, 11am to midday

Hounslow have successfully decommissioned the chutes on all their high-rise buildings over the last couple of years, delivering a huge improvement in resident safety, neighbourhood quality and recycling. Hear from Andrea Tidy, Estate Services Manager and Tom McCarthy, Estates Team Leader, on the steps they took to get residents on board and manage the process throughout, with opportunity for all those questions which you’ve been dying to ask.

View the webinar recording below: