Environmental charity Hubbub and McDonald’s have launched a new #InTheLoop grant fund to help local authorities and other interested organisations boost out-of-home recycling in public spaces.
The #InTheLoop fund will support two new projects to introduce or improve their recycling infrastructure using the #InTheLoop toolkit. This in-depth guide on how to roll out a successful recycling on-the-go campaign aims to help increase recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill or incineration.
The new funding has been provided by McDonald’s and will grant the two successful applicants £8,000 each to invest in, and boost, anti-litter and recycling facilities. As well as the funding, Hubbub will provide ongoing support based on the charity’s expertise and experience in delivering recycling campaigns. This includes support with project management and design to help bring their projects to reality and to support their delivery.
Organisations such as local authorities, business improvement districts, shopping centres, major property owners and transport hubs are invited to apply. The application deadline is 17 March 2023.
First trialled in Leeds in 2018, with support from McDonald’s and other businesses, #InTheLoop is the UK’s biggest collaborative approach to boost recycling on-the-go. Subsequently, Swansea, Edinburgh, Dublin, Wimbledon, Telford & Wrekin and Lambeth have all run similar pilots, installing and testing a range of bright, colourful and eye-catching bins to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle empty glass, plastic bottles, cans, and in some cases coffee cups, and therefore improve recycling rates. Across all these #IntheLoop pilot projects, over 500 bins have been rolled out and over 2.5 million plastic and glass bottles and cans were collected and recycled.
The #InTheLoop toolkit, which was funded by environmental compliance scheme Ecosurety, brings together key learnings and insights gathered from these trials and aims to act as a blueprint for the winning projects.
Gavin Ellis, co-founder of Hubbub, said: “Recycling on the go continues to be a significant challenge, with less than half of local authorities currently having on-street recycling systems. Previous #InTheLoop trials have helped us define an effective approach to out of home recycling, so we’re delighted that additional funding from McDonald’s will enable two more organisations to trial #InTheLoop interventions in their area to help address littering, boost recycling rates and reduce waste sent to landfill or incineration.
Helen McFarlane, McDonald’s Senior Sustainability Consultant said: “We’re delighted to be funding this piece of work. McDonald’s has been working with Hubbub on their innovative #InTheLoop campaigns for over five years now, and we’re excited that this project builds on all the success we’ve had over the years. We hope that by providing funding to roll out #InTheLoop we can have a lasting impact in the communities we serve.”
For more information on the grant funding and to access the In The Loop toolkit, including downloadable assets, visit www.intheloop.org.uk or contact intheloop@hubbub.org.uk
