Cheshire West and Chester Council: Doorstep Engagement Programme
Background & Context
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CW&C) commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver a borough-wide behavioural change and recycling engagement programme designed to improve recycling participation, increase food waste recycling, reduce contamination and encourage residents to make better use of the Council’s waste and recycling services. The programme was delivered in partnership with Cheshire West Recycling (CWR) and focused on engaging residents directly at their homes to understand barriers to participation and support behaviour change.
The programme operated across a diverse mix of urban, suburban and rural communities and sought to address a range of recycling-related challenges. These included households not participating in food waste collections, contamination of recycling containers, recyclable materials being placed in residual waste bins and the presentation of side waste. The project also needed to adapt to emerging operational priorities throughout delivery, including supporting food caddy distribution, engaging with student populations and helping facilitate the introduction of recycling services within blocks of flats.
Following successful delivery of the initial contract, the programme was extended twice, enabling M·E·L to continue supporting the Council’s evolving waste and recycling objectives.
Approach
M·E·L designed and delivered a large-scale doorstep engagement programme using trained Recycling Advisors (RAs) who worked directly with residents to encourage positive recycling behaviours and address barriers to participation. The project incorporated behavioural science principles, targeted engagement and ongoing operational support.
Recruitment, Training and Mobilisation
M·E·L recruited a dedicated team of:
Eight Recycling Advisors
One Fieldwork Supervisor
A supporting project management team
Prior to fieldwork, all advisors completed a comprehensive two-day training programme jointly delivered by M·E·L, CW&C and CWR. Training covered:
Behavioural insights and application of the COM-B behaviour change model
Effective doorstep engagement techniques
Understanding recycling behaviours
Waste and recycling service knowledge
Tablet-based data collection systems
Health and safety procedures
Lone working protocols
Escalation and reporting procedures
Role-play and practical engagement exercises
As part of the training, advisors also visited the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to gain a practical understanding of how recyclable materials are processed and the impact of contamination on recycling operations.
Targeted Doorstep Engagement
The project adopted a targeted engagement approach using intelligence supplied by CW&C and CWR. Data covering more than 80,000 unique household addresses was analysed and used to generate weekly engagement lists. Advisors were deployed in pairs, improving staff safety, operational support and productivity.
The doorstep engagement programme focused on:
Food waste recycling participation
Correct use of food waste caddies
Proper use of red/grey-lidded recycling bins
Proper use of blue/green-lidded recycling bins
Reducing contamination
Improving recycling participation
Identifying practical barriers to recycling
Supporting access to replacement or additional recycling equipment
Where residents were unavailable, information materials were left and follow-up visits were undertaken where appropriate. Advisors worked flexible schedules, including evenings and weekends, to maximise opportunities for resident contact.
Additional Engagement Activity
As the programme evolved, M·E·L adapted delivery to support additional Council priorities:
Food Caddy Ordering: Advisors were equipped with mobile Wi-Fi technology to enable food waste caddies to be ordered immediately during doorstep conversations, removing barriers to participation and improving responsiveness.
Student Engagement: Targeted engagement activity was delivered within the Garden Quarter student area to support awareness and participation in a trial Pop-Up recycling collection service. Follow-up activity reinforced key messages and encouraged continued participation.
Flats Engagement and Service Rollout: Advisors supported the introduction of recycling and food waste services within blocks of flats through direct engagement and large-scale distribution of food waste caddies.
Outputs
Fieldwork Outputs
The programme achieved substantial reach and engagement across the borough:
57,981 household visits completed
17,528 face-to-face discussions with residents
632 callbacks or appointments arranged
An overall discussion rate of 30%, meeting the programme target
Among residents who engaged:
89% were willing and engaged
9% were ambivalent
Only 2% were negative or uninterested
This demonstrated a highly positive response to the engagement approach and strong resident receptiveness to recycling advice and support.
The most frequently discussed topics included:
Food waste recycling and brown caddies
General recycling guidance
Correct use of red/grey-lidded recycling bins
Correct use of blue/green-lidded recycling bins
Residual waste management
These conversations provided valuable behavioural insights and enabled advisors to address barriers directly with residents.
Flats Rollout Support
As part of the flats service rollout:
3,526 properties were visited
874 residents received food waste caddies directly
2,417 caddies were successfully delivered to properties
This accelerated implementation of the new food waste collection service and ensured residents had the equipment required to participate.
Analysis and Reporting
M·E·L captured engagement outcomes through tablet-based data collection systems, allowing detailed monitoring of resident interactions, discussion topics and engagement quality. Fieldwork intelligence was analysed to identify participation barriers, operational challenges and opportunities for service improvement.
Outputs included:
Ongoing operational reporting
Monitoring of engagement outcomes
Analysis of resident responses and behaviours
Intelligence to support service planning and rollout activities
A comprehensive technical report summarising programme delivery, outcomes, adaptations and lessons learned
The findings were used by CW&C to support recycling service improvements, food waste participation initiatives, recycling communications and the rollout of services to new resident groups and housing types.
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