Developing effective waste minimization clubs: A case study from the East Midlands of England

The UK waste strategy is based upon the central concept of the hierarchy of preferable options for the treatment and disposal of waste. Minimization is placed at the top of the hierarchy and the Government seeks to encourage its uptake. Approximately 60 regional minimization clubs have been set up, in the UK, since the early 1990s. Not all clubs have been successful, a significant number have failed to run to completion or meet their planned objectives and rarely are sufficient data made available for a cost-benefit analysis. The East Midlands has a diverse economy with a relatively large proportion of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The Northamptonshire Resource Efficiency Project is an example of a club which was designed to be highly cost-effective and to develop a culture of waste minimization in the county. Its success has been based upon a management partnership that includes a local Higher Education Institution, which is in a unique position to offer wide-ranging expertise. Such a partnership stands as a model for future cost-effective waste minimization developments worldwide.