Sectors
Social Research ¦ Market Research ¦ Behavioural Insight ¦ Evaluation ¦ SROI
Social Research ¦ Market Research ¦ Behavioural Insight ¦ Evaluation ¦ SROI
Helping you improve resident participation, strengthen services and demonstrate performance
Successful waste and recycling services depend on understanding how residents use them, where barriers exist and how service changes affect the customer experience.
M·E·L Research helps waste and recycling contractors, local authorities and sector bodies turn resident insight into practical service improvements.
Since 1985, we have delivered waste and recycling research, evaluation and behavioural engagement across the UK. Whether you are introducing a new collection service, addressing contamination or measuring customer satisfaction, we provide robust independent evidence to help you make informed decisions and demonstrate performance.
As organisations implement Simpler Recycling requirements and weekly food waste collections, effective resident engagement is critical.
Operational KPIs and complaints data can show that an issue has occurred, but they do not always explain why. Our research helps you understand:
This helps you identify emerging issues, improve delivery and provide credible evidence to local authority clients and wider stakeholders.
Resident research and customer insight
We measure awareness, participation, satisfaction and service use through independent resident research.
This can include resident satisfaction surveys, focus groups, doorstep research, communications testing and pre- and post-implementation studies.
HWRC customer experience research
We conduct customer research safely within live Household Waste Recycling Centres without disrupting site operations.
Our studies explore satisfaction, site usage, staff helpfulness, cleanliness, queuing, signage, accepted materials and the factors that have the greatest influence on customer experience.
Service-change evaluation
We provide independent insight before, during and after service changes, helping you understand how implementation is progressing and where adjustments may be needed.
Our work includes food waste collection evaluation, participation monitoring, communications evaluation and post-implementation reviews.
Behaviour change and doorstep engagement
Our trained Recycling Advisors engage residents directly, explain services, address misconceptions and help remove practical barriers to participation.
We can deliver targeted engagement, recycling education, contamination-reduction campaigns and support for residents living in flats and communal housing.
We combine quantitative, qualitative, behavioural and observational evidence to understand not only what is happening, but why.
Our methods include:
Every project is designed around your operational and contractual objectives, with the methodology and outputs agreed before fieldwork begins.
Cheshire West and Chester Council
We delivered a borough-wide behavioural engagement programme supporting food waste participation, contamination reduction and correct service use.
The programme was extended twice and adapted to support emerging operational priorities.
Testimonial:
“M·E·L have a professional, organised approach to their work. They recently carried out a comprehensive customer insight survey for Cheshire West and Chester Council, which was completed within the expected timescales and gave us important information on our Recycle First scheme.” – Cheshire West and Chester Council
We designed, delivered and evaluated a recycling campaign targeting almost 100,000 households across 22 wards.
The programme combined doorstep engagement, 3,002 household surveys and WRAP-compliant participation monitoring. Property-level analysis found measurable improvements in participation and recycling volumes among households receiving direct engagement.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
We completed 2,486 interviews across all 20 Household Waste Recycling Centres, accompanied by waste composition assessments.
The research provided site-by-site benchmarking, catchment mapping and Key Driver Analysis to identify priorities for improving customer experience and recycling performance.
WRAP Cymru and Recycle for Wales
Across one campaign in Rhondda Cynon Taf, we canvassed 15,478 households and held 5,255 doorstep conversations.
The research identified barriers to food waste participation and allowed residents to request replacement containers during their visit. The potential additional food waste captured through the newly ordered external containers was estimated at more than two tonnes per collection cycle.
With over 40 years of proven experience at scale, we’re not short of case studies. Visit our Waste and Recycling Case Studies page for more.
More than 40 years of sector experience: We have worked in waste and recycling research since 1985 and understand the services, terminology, audiences and operational pressures involved.
Independent and robust evidence: Our findings complement operational KPIs and complaints data, giving you a more complete and credible picture of resident experience and service performance.
National fieldwork capability: We deliver quantitative, qualitative and behavioural research across the UK, including large-scale doorstep programmes and research within live operational sites.
Minimal operational disruption: We plan fieldwork around your services, complete appropriate health and safety procedures and work closely with operational teams to avoid creating unnecessary pressure.
Practical recommendations: We focus on what the evidence means for delivery, helping you improve services, communications, participation and customer experience.
Bespoke research design: There is no off-the-shelf approach. Every project is developed around your service, residents, contractual objectives and decisions.
Independent evidence you can act on: We translate findings into practical recommendations for service delivery, resident communications and customer experience.
Depending on your needs, outputs can include reports, dashboards, visual summaries, geographic analysis, stakeholder presentations and action-planning workshops.
Our independent evidence can also support contract monitoring, client discussions, service reviews and future bids.
Whether you are implementing a service change, seeking to improve participation or need independent evidence of customer satisfaction, we can design an approach around your priorities.
We work in a range of sectors related to waste and recycling research.
