Lockable bins eliminate contamination in Hackney FLASH food waste trial

Hackney Council’s trial of food waste collections for flats above shops has shown that while participation is achievable, contamination remains a major challenge in open-access systems. The “FLASH” pilot, covering 511 properties across six high streets, collected 2.3 tonnes of food waste in three months, but every open-access site experienced issues such as plastic bags, litter and rejected loads due to contamination.

A single lockable unit installed at Old Street by metroSTOR was the clear exception, recording zero contamination and no side waste. The results highlight how controlled access can protect material quality in busy, mixed-use environments. While the locked unit saw slightly lower volumes, this reflected cleaner inputs rather than weaker performance, leading Hackney to favour secure, lockable bins for future rollout.

Read the case study here.