How are high-rise refuse chutes fuelling a recycling crisis?

Recycling rates in high-rise communities across the UK remain alarmingly low. While the UK’s overall recycling rate sits at approximately 44%, few high-rise estates achieve more than 10% and many will be at zero, largely exacerbated by the continued use of outdated refuse chutes.

Unhealthy figures

In London alone, flats and multi-occupancy buildings represent about half of all housing, yet the average recycling rate among these high-rise communities, is merely 10%. 

The ‘Waste in Tall Buildings’ (WITB) study reports that high-rise recycling rates are 50% less than those from low-rise housing. The report states that traditional waste disposal methods can be challenging and inefficient in high-rise structures.

Chute design

Often, one of the biggest challenges for multi-residential buildings is that many were designed before recycling and organics collection existed, explain waste campaigners. Most typical ‘tower blocks’ were constructed between the 1950s – 70s and contain chutes which are simply not fit for today’s waste and recycling world.

Unlike modern waste disposal systems, many refuse chutes cater only to general waste, meaning residents are left with limited or no access to dedicated recycling facilities. The government published ‘Waste Guidance for High Density Development’, highlights the need for automatic chute separation systems where chutes still exist, yet these remain rare due to the logistical and financial challenges of retrofitting the chutes in older buildings. 

Hygiene

What’s more, the composting of food waste is ignored in many high-rise buildings, possibly due to hygiene concerns surrounding refuse chutes. Residents in Manchester reported feeling uncomfortable with the possibility of bad odours and insects in and around existing waste disposal infrastructure in their flats.  A tenant in a Sheffield tower block reported obnoxious odours of rotting food and nappies omitting from his bin chutes, which has not been cleaned in 60 years.

Convenience factor

With most existing refuse chutes only facilitating general waste, residents are required to walk elsewhere with their recycling and simply aren’t doing this due to the additional effort required. The convenience factor of the refuse chute being on their doorstep means that their likelihood of separating and recycling waste outside of their building is very low. Unfortunately, all waste is being forced down single chutes, whether it is recyclable or not.

Out of sight, out of mind: ‘invisible’ waste

It is thought that with waste disappearing down a chute, residents are less likely to engage in responsible waste separation. It is noted that where waste is dropped in communal, high-rise chutes, it is ‘invisible’ to residents once deposited, meaning less visual nudges into waste prevention and sustainable recycling behaviours.

Alternative solution

Local councils and housing providers are now recognising that the removal of refuse chutes could be a crucial step in tackling the recycling crisis in high-rise living.

In many hugely successful case studies, organisations are working with metroSTOR to decommission their refuse chutes, in favour of external ground-level bin enclosures. These systems empower residents to improve recycling rates by separating waste at source in a safe, sustainable way. 

Click the following link to find out more about the other risks associated with these outdated systems including fire risks, anti-social behaviour, falls and crime: Bin the Chutes: Decommission refuse chutes in high-rise living.

Listen back to industry experts with first-hand experience of closing refuse chutes in their high-rise communities.