Recycling, like many other ecofriendly initiatives, is often sold to the public on the basis of its feel-good factor. Putting out your green bin and kerbside box is meant to give you the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from knowing you’ve just done something good for the environment.

But, so far at least, that’s all it gives you. Let’s face it, putting your recycling out can also seem like a bit of a chore, particularly when you’re not in the habit of doing it, and sometimes that inner glow just isn’t enough to make it seem worth the effort.

However, this could all be about to change thanks to the introduction of a new and distinctly different recycling incentives scheme from the USA. On 1 June, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in tandem with Veolia Environmental Services and RecycleBank, began a trial of the UK’s first recycling reward scheme. As part of the pilot project, which focuses on green waste bins, 2,800 households across the borough have the chance to earn reward points for their participation in the scheme.

The concept behind the RecycleBank approach is simple: It’s an incentives scheme that works with local authorities, waste management companies and local retail businesses to provide reward points to householders who recycle or divert waste. These points can then be redeemed at participating local businesses and retail outlets so that people get to see the financial benefits of their actions.

“RecycleBank is recognised for revolutionising the way people view recycling,” explains its president, Matthew Tucker. “The goal was to create a business model that was good for the environment and rewarding for individuals.”

Having enjoyed considerable success in the USA since its launch in 2002, where it now serves one million households across 19 states, RecycleBank felt that the time was right to introduce the scheme to the UK.

“Landfill space is a serious issue in the UK,” says Tucker. “Increased recycling and waste diversion is the best way to combat the space issue, and a rewards scheme to bolster recycling works. UK residents are more in touch with local and global environmental issues than residents in the United States and have a higher participation rate in rewards schemes – tying the two together in this country seemed natural. In addition, local authorities are very creative in the UK and have embraced the RecycleBank solution of rewarding residents rather than punishing them.”

Much thought has been given to the practicalities of introducing the scheme to the UK and in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, where the recycling rate is already 37 per cent, the technology is in place to ensure that everything runs smoothly for the green waste pilot project. As part of the scheme, residents have been provided with a wheeled bin fitted with a specialised identification chip. When the bins are collected by Veolia, the recycling vehicles read the chips, and residents are awarded RecycleBank points based on how often they participate. Households can redeem points at participating local and national businesses or donate them to charities and local schools. It is estimated that householders will be able to claim around £150 a year in vouchers.

So-called ‘chip and bin’ methods have generated a considerable amount of controversy in recent years, often as a result of negative reporting in the tabloid press. Opponents of the schemes focus on the fact that they can be used punitively to weigh people’s rubbish in order to charge them for the amount of waste they throw away. They also cite data protection as an issue.

However, Terry Gould, Head of Public Protection and Sustainability at the borough, is quick to point out that the scheme is designed to reward and not punish residents and that no personal data is held on the chips. “Politically, we are committed to incentivising and not the use of penalties,” he explains. “We’re very excited about the pilots and, when we put the first letter out to residents about the scheme, there were no negative comments – the only queries have been from people wanting to find out how they can sign up. There’s been lots of support from local businesses too as there’s a recognition that the scheme is a really good way to stimulate the local economy.”

The pilot project in Windsor and Maidenhead focuses exclusively on green waste with residents being allocated RecycleBank points based on their participation (rather than the weight of the bins). However, there are plans afoot to extend the trial to commingled recyclables in September and, this time, bins will be weighed upon collection, with more points being given to those who recycle more, although the number of points will have a cap to stop people deliberately generating (or indeed stealing) waste.

Although no other authorities are running schemes at present, RecycleBank is said to be in ‘advanced discussions’ with other councils and the success of the pilot is being watched with interest by the UK recycling and waste management community.

In addition to practical questions about the mechanics of the scheme, councils will be looking to see how residents take to the initiative – particularly in the light of the current challenging economic climate.

Many industry experts believe that while weight-based variable charging methods for rubbish are looking more unpopular than ever, the recent economic crisis could provide incentive-based schemes such as RecycleBank with just the boost that they need.

“I think it’s a pretty good time,” says the Local Government Association’s Paul Bettison. “I think a lot of people will be fine with having a chip in their bin, plus it’s voluntary so you don’t have to participate – but if you do, you could save a lot of money. It’s certainly an interesting scheme that is well worth councils having a look at and I look forward to seeing the results of the trials.”

So far, so good. However, from a longer-term perspective, questions remain about whether incentive schemes can tackle the bigger issue of climate change. Dr Adam Read, Knowledge Leader in Waste and Resource Efficiency at AEA, believes that, although recycling has a role to play, we should take things one step further by encouraging waste minimisation. “When we think about the biggest potential impacts on climate change, it’s not even about recycling, it’s about waste prevention, which means you‘ve almost got to undo people‘s perceptions that recycling is all good,“ he says. “Recycling was easy for people to take to but it’s not a panacea – it’s about addressing unsustainable consumption such as our transport patterns and people’s tendency to purchase lots of things that they don’t need. We’re not asking people to live in a cave, but it is important to think about whether you really need two cars and to go on holiday to Australia every year.”

With so many different options open to councils, deciding which methods to go for can seem daunting, as every approach – whether stick or carrot – has its pros and cons. However, with recycling targets looming ever closer, the RecycleBank approach could provide a new weapon in the arsenal for local authorities eager to boost their figures. Watch this space.