Waste Reduction Challenge

What was the Waste Reduction Challenge?

In September 2012, we launched the Waste Reduction Challenge Prize, offering a prize for the innovation that achieved the biggest measurable reduction in waste, by providing new opportunities for communities to come together to give time, skills and resources.

This was one of the Giving Challenge Prizes, which were designed and delivered by Challenge Works to stimulate social innovation in the giving of time, skills and resources to tackle two distinct social issues: reducing isolation of older people and reducing waste.

There has been significant success in reducing waste in recent years, but it remains an enormous challenge and an area which needs new solutions. Nesta and the Cabinet Office viewed this as an opportunity to motivate people to consider the challenges facing communities and to be inspired to share their ideas. The Prize encouraged new ideas that can influence and mobilise communities of ‘Givers’ to make significant reductions in waste and impact behaviours for years to come.

Why did we do this?

We throw away more than 7 million tonnes of food and drink every year from our homes – most of which could have been safely consumed. The UK hospitality sector (hotels, pubs, restaurants and quick service restaurants) could save £724 million a year by tackling food waste. Our research shows doubling the number of sofas re-used, could save 52,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. At the moment, 83% of sofas are not re-used and are sent to landfill or recycled.

Between 2012 and 2020, WRAP estimates that electronic waste in the UK totalled more than 12 million tonnes. A quarter of this comprises of IT equipment, consumer electronics and display screens. This will include precious metals, which have a total estimated market value of £7 billion.

Nearly 25% of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that’s taken to household waste recycling centres could be re-used, worth around £200m gross a year. By pursuing opportunities for re-use, the UK could reduce its reliance on raw materials by as much as 20% by 2020.

What happened?

People who are part of communities are best placed to understand the needs, motivations and opportunities within these communities. We think this makes them brilliantly placed to come up with great ideas that could prove to be highly effective.

The Gleaning Network was eventually awarded the £50,000 prize for its Feeding the 5000 project.

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Impact of the teams

• 36,744kg of food was collected by the Gleaning Network
• 208 volunteers took part in Gleaning days
• The Gleaning Network provided over 183,000 meals to beneficiaries during the pilot
• 719.9kg of food was collected for use by the Brixton People’s Kitchen
• 5,066kg of food was collected by FareShare – Food Connection Netowrk
• 294 hours of volunteer and staff time was donated by the FareShare team to redistribute goods

Winner – Feeding the 5000 – The Gleaning Network

Feeding the 5000 – The Gleaning Network gather out-of-date produce to share with local communities. The Gleaning Network achieved a significant amount of waste reduction, giving and engagement opportunities and food distribution through their network of partners. Coupled with their campaigning efforts, they are credible advocates for gleaning.