Hounslow Council launches Waste Wizard app 

Council’s free online tool and phone app aims to make recycling quicker and easier. 

Quick, convenient and environmentally friendly, Hounslow Council’s new Waste Wizard makes it easy for residents to recycle unwanted items such as electricals, glass bottles and old mattresses. The app, which has been designed to be easy to use, was developed by waste and recycling technology company Routeware. 

Residents can use a version of the Waste Wizard online tool on the council’s website or download the LB Hounslow Waste Wizard app from the Apple or Google Play app stores. 

Photo by v2osk

All residents have to do is visit the Council’s website to find the online tool or go to the Apple or Google Play app stores to download the app – search for LB Hounslow Waste Wizard. It’s available for both Android and IOS devices. 

Once they have access to Waste Wizard, users simply type in their postcode and are then asked the type of waste item they want to dispose of. The app then tells them the best way to recycle, repair, reuse or otherwise dispose of it. 

The tool has been developed with detailed information on hundreds of items. Predictive search and synonym detection make it faster and easier for residents to get the right information. 

What’s more, the system also makes it quicker and easier for the council’s own waste and recycling team to maintain up-to-date information on how best to reuse and recycle items. In addition, Waste Wizard will provide detailed data that can be used to increase the effectiveness of recycling services as well as related education and communications.  

Development of the Waste Wizard tool is part of Hounslow Council’s wider commitment to improving waste management, reducing non-recyclable waste and increasing recycling rates across the borough. It also aims to empower residents to put the environment first when making decisions about waste disposal, as part of a wider focus on sustainability across the borough. 

The hope is that uptake of the tool will help to reduce ‘waste contamination’ – when items are placed in the wrong recycling bins. This can cause a range of problems such as making recycling more difficult, damaging recycling equipment and even proving hazardous to the health of staff who work in recycling centres. 

Cllr Shivraj Grewal, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Recycling and Transformation at Hounslow Council, says: ‘We know that people in our borough want to recycle more, but it’s not always easy to understand what goes where. Waste Wizard takes the guesswork out and allows people to unleash their recycling magic. If you have any items you would like to dispose of, please give Waste Wizard a try. You will be helping us to create a cleaner, healthier and greener Hounslow. Now that is magic.’ 

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