Our major waste management transformation on the Byker Estate has been shortlisted for the CIPR Excellence Awards in the Change Communications Campaign category.
The project, which aimed to tackle long standing issues with litter, fly-tipping and low recycling rates across the 2,000-home estate, saw us launch a trial improvement programme in two neighbourhoods on the estate.
The award recognises the targeted communications campaign we rolled out through the trial, to educate customers on recycling and responsible waste disposal.
Insight-led engagement, clear information packs and community activities helped drive behaviour change amongst residents.
And the result? From virtually zero recycling collected due to contamination levels being so high, in the first six weeks there was more than 30,000 litres of uncontaminated recycling collected from the two neighbourhoods.
To date, this has risen to over 300,000 litres.
After consulting customers in 2021 when Byker Community Trust became a part of Karbon Homes, waste management emerged as a top concern for residents on the estate, with many describing the area as untidy and feeling embarrassed by its condition.
In 2025, we launched a trial improvement programme in Headlam Green and Dunn Terrace, introducing communal bin stores.
To ensure the new stores would help tackle the waste management issues we were seeing, we knew there was work to do around educating residents about recycling and encouraging them to change their habits when it came to their household waste.
- Wrote a series of letters updating residents on the works and when/ how their bins would be transferred from individual to communal.
- Provided an FAQ document answering questions on how to use the bins, what can and can't be recycled along with information on bulky waste disposal in the local area.
- Created a map of the local area displaying where each block’s nearest bin store is.
- Gave residents a handy recycling bag to store their recyclable waste in. This also featured imagery of items that should be recycled.
- Held a community event with the local authority to engage residents in recycling events.
Map of area used to inform residents of their nearest communal bin.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting cleaner surroundings and increased recycling habits.
Michelle Bell, Assistant Director of Byker Community Trust, said: “The hard work and dedication of those involved in the project being highlighted by the shortlist is brilliant. We’re very grateful to our community for their dedication to helping us transform the Dunn Terrace and Headlam Green areas of the estate, and hope that this recognition will help us to create further improvement across the estate.”
The CIPR shortlisting recognises the project’s success in combining infrastructure improvements with effective communication to deliver lasting environmental and behavioural change.
Our major waste management transformation on the Byker Estate has been shortlisted for the CIPR Excellence Awards in the Change Communications Campaign category.
The project, which aimed to tackle long standing issues with litter, fly-tipping and low recycling rates across the 2,000-home estate, saw us launch a trial improvement programme in two neighbourhoods on the estate.
The award recognises the targeted communications campaign we rolled out through the trial, to educate customers on recycling and responsible waste disposal.
Insight-led engagement, clear information packs and community activities helped drive behaviour change amongst residents.
And the result? From virtually zero recycling collected due to contamination levels being so high, in the first six weeks there was more than 30,000 litres of uncontaminated recycling collected from the two neighbourhoods.
To date, this has risen to over 300,000 litres.
The story so far
After consulting customers in 2021 when Byker Community Trust became a part of Karbon Homes, waste management emerged as a top concern for residents on the estate, with many describing the area as untidy and feeling embarrassed by its condition.
In 2025, we launched a trial improvement programme in Headlam Green and Dunn Terrace, introducing communal bin stores.
To ensure the new stores would help tackle the waste management issues we were seeing, we knew there was work to do around educating residents about recycling and encouraging them to change their habits when it came to their household waste.
To do this we:
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting cleaner surroundings and increased recycling habits.
Michelle Bell, Assistant Director of Byker Community Trust, said: “The hard work and dedication of those involved in the project being highlighted by the shortlist is brilliant. We’re very grateful to our community for their dedication to helping us transform the Dunn Terrace and Headlam Green areas of the estate, and hope that this recognition will help us to create further improvement across the estate.”
The CIPR shortlisting recognises the project’s success in combining infrastructure improvements with effective communication to deliver lasting environmental and behavioural change.
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