“If you take away the food, you get rid of the rats”. That’s how Cam Matheson, Project Manager of pioneering community group East London Community Recycling Partnership, sells his food waste composting scheme to local residents.

Through their food waste collection ELCRP is helping to improve the local environment on estates in Hackney. They have developed a scheme which meets all the requirements of the Animal By-Products Regulations (ABPR), which place strict controls on what can and can’t be done with food waste. Householders put all their leftover food (including cooked meat and fish) into one container, which is collected weekly. A special substance added to the food prevents the smells, flies and maggots usually associated with food waste.  This system also keeps chutes and paladin bins clean. After collection, the food waste is placed in a compost unit known as a Rocket. The resulting compost is then used on flower beds in the estate to help improve the overall appearance of the area.

The scheme has been a huge success – over 80% of residents on the Nightingale Estate, where the scheme was initially tried out, regularly participate. At the same time, rat sightings on the estate have dropped to virtually none. Another unexpected bonus has been that crime levels have also dropped. ELCRP is repeating this success by rolling out the scheme to other estates across the borough.

Support from London CRN

London CRN has provided ELCRP with a varied array of support over the last couple of years and continues to enjoy a close relationship with them. A major achievement has been the securing of £299,999 from the National Lottery’s Community Recycling and Economic Development programme in the summer of 2004. This was due in large part to the expertise of one of London CRN’s funding consultants – Andrew Rock. Once the funding was in place London CRN continued to guide ELCRP by developing a work-plan on how best to move the project forward. Technical assistance was also provided on a number of issues. Cam Matheson, Project Manager at ELCRP says “It is mutual support and regard for all parties that makes LCRN’s advice both unique and worthwhile – ELCRP is genuinely proud to work with, take advice from and be a member of LCRN and we recommend them to all community recycling groups”.