What is #InTheLoop?

#InTheLoop is the UK’s biggest collaborative approach to boost recycling on the go, first trialled in Leeds in 2018, followed by similar trials in Swansea, Edinburgh, Dublin, Wimbledon, Telford and Wrekin and the London borough of Lambeth.

It combines the innovative design of recycling infrastructure with engaging communications to reduce confusion about recycling and make it easy for anyone to do the right thing.

Our approach is proven to reduce the amount of wrong items ending up in recycling bins (otherwise known as contamination) and increase recycling rates.

Who is the site for?

Anyone responsible for collecting recycling outside the home or supplying the infrastructure to collect the recycling. This could be local authorities, charities, BIDs, managers of public spaces, gyms, schools, libraries, etc. and the manufacturers of bins, or recycling stations.

How do I use the site?

We’d recommend you start by reading about ‘Our Solution’ to on-the-go recycling and delve into some case studies. You can find templates and assets in the ‘Resources’ section, or to check out funding opportunities visit Funding.

Why are the #InTheLoop bins so colourful?

The bins are designed to be bright, colourful and easy to use. Our observational research shows that people spend just a few seconds deciding what to do at a bin. Brightly coloured bins stand out so people are more likely to spot them on the street and more likely to pay attention when they are deciding what to do with their waste – this increases the chances of correct recycling, thus increasing the quality of recycling.

We chose yellow as it doesn’t conflict with the other WRAP colours and is a colour that naturally stands out to the eye.

Does that mean they need to be cleaned more regularly?

Depending on where your bins are placed we’d recommend that the bins get cleaned around every three months, so they look in tip-top condition. If you’ve got vinyl stickers on your bins, if using some form of hose or jet wash to clean them, it is recommended you do it on a gentle setting and clean them from the centre of the sticker, towards the edge. This will prevent the water peeling the vinyl.

Why have you designed your own icons?

In order to make it clear to people on-the-go what should go in the bins we have designed our own icons to the packaging in the forms they’re most likely to be consumed on-the-go (500ml drinking bottle or a drinks can) rather than packaging that we’re more likely to have at home – bleach bottles, tin cans etc. We have kept the colours in line with WRAP material icons to maintain consistency.

Why focus on drinks containers?

Glass bottles, plastic bottles, cans and coffee cups are the most commonly used materials while are we out and about. They are also widely recycled, with the exception of coffee cups which need separate recycling collections and we have trialled as part of the campaigns. Larger coffee shops, fast food chains and others who sell drinks in disposable paper cups will have to provide a dedicated bin to collect and recycle the cups from 2024, as part of recently announced reforms to packaging.

How will the upcoming policy changes like the proposed deposit return scheme (DRS) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) impact recycling on-the-go?

With the timeline of DRS still to be confirmed it’s hard to know exactly what the implications will be for recycling on-the-go. In the short to medium term, we believe that recycling on-the-go will continue to be an important priority to reduce the billions of items that could be recycled ending up littered, landfilled or incinerated, and to boost recycling rates.

EPR is expected to mean that local authorities will receive the payment for managing separately collected recyclable packaging and for the same in-scope materials in residual waste and street bins.