Half a million pounds will be spent on improving food recycling rates in Harrow as part of plans to address a climate emergency by 2030.

Harrow Council confirmed a £500,000 grant from the West London Waste Authority – covering six west London boroughs – to support this is initiative.

Most of the funding – £357,000 – will cover replacing or introducing new bins, with a further £112,000 going towards a communications strategy that will include signs to improve recycling habits.

The council will also hire a project officer on a six-month contract worth £29,000, while the remaining £2,000 will cover analysis at the start and end of the project to assess its performance.

There are plans to improve food recycling rates at communal bins with the council noting that currently there is often contamination between bins and low participation in some areas.

The council also hopes to provide greater access to flats above shops, the only properties which do not have the ability to recycle their food waste.

“We want to work with our residents, landlords, and all relevant parties to better understand [the issues], raise awareness and get the desired outcomes,” said Cllr Varsha Parmar (Lab, Marlborough), who is responsible for the environment at Harrow Council.

According to a report presented to the council’s cabinet last month, this initiative will support the council’s ambitions to “reduce waste generation and increase recycling rates” as part of its plans to tackle the climate emergency declared in 2019.

Cllr Parmar added this is particularly important given the probable introduction of a new environmental bill in the future.