The partnership has received nominations in the 'Campaign of the Year – Recycling Incentive' and 'Food Waste Initiative' categories. These awards highlight innovative and impactful projects in the UK's waste and resource management sector.
Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Environment and Climate Change, expressed delight at the shortlisting. She highlighted the significant involvement of Somerset residents, whose collective efforts in pledging to recycle more food waste have led to a substantial impact, contributing to increased recycling rates, cost savings, and the generation of renewable energy.
Matt Canning, Contract Director at SUEZ, echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in the partnership's achievements and the recognition from the awards. He emphasised the crucial role of resident participation in the progress made.
The campaign, which ran throughout the year, employed a multi-faceted approach including targeted social media, community events, face-to-face engagement, educational content, and resident pledges. These activities aimed to raise awareness of food recycling benefits, address common misconceptions, and integrate food recycling into daily routines.
This engagement strategy resulted in a 7.3% increase in food waste recycling, equivalent to an additional 0.5kg per household per month. The initiative also generated over £60,000 in cost savings and secured 1,500 resident pledges.
The winners of the MRW National Recycling Awards will be announced on 1 December 2026.
