A WASTE and recycling partnership in Thames Valley has been recognised with a prestigious award following an innovative collaboration with a data platform.
The re3 partnership, which joins the waste strategy of Reading Borough Council, Wokingham Borough Council, and Bracknell Forest Council, has taken one of the top accolades at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management, organised by Letsrecycle.com.
It was given the Partnership of the Year in recognition of the success of the Scrapp recycling app and web-based search across the re3 area.
The scheme aims to help residents recycle more effectively, reduce contamination and improve access to local recycling and waste services.
Launched in 2024, the free app introduced a more intuitive, accessible and technology-driven approach to recycling support for residents across Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Boroughs.
It uses barcode scanning technology and AI to power waste searching functionality, providing instant, localised guidance on how to recycle household items.
The bin notification feature has played a particularly important role, currently helping residents across Reading and Wokingham to never miss their bins days.
By providing timely reminders, the app has become an effective new communication channel for reaching residents in a more convenient way.
The platform is also available in more than 20 languages, helping re3 engage with a broader and more diverse community, as well as provide better accessibility to combine practical tools and interactive features to encourage long-term positive change.
Cllr Helen Purnell, Leader of the Bracknell Forest Council and Vice-Chair of re3 Joint Waste Disposal Board, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this industry recognition alongside Scrapp.
“Our shared ambition has always been to make recycling simpler, clearer and more accessible for residents across the re3 area, while helping to reduce waste and improve the quality of recycling collected.
“The app has enabled us to engage with residents in new and more innovative ways, providing practical tools such as personalised bin reminders in Reading and Wokingham, instant recycling guidance and multilingual support to help make everyday recycling easier for everyone.
“This award is a fantastic recognition of how digital innovation can drive positive environmental action at a local level.”
Evan Gwynne Davies, CEO at Scrapp, added: “We are incredibly pleased to receive this award and being able to support re3 residents on their journey towards going zero waste.
“Working with re3 has been a fantastic example of how local authorities and technology providers can collaborate to drive behavioural change through accessible and engaging digital tools.
“The Scrapp platform was designed as a scalable global solution to help make recycling easier for everyone, and it is now being deployed internationally, including across communities in the United Kingdom and the United States.
“This demonstrates the growing global potential of the platform and its ability to support waste education, recycling engagement and more sustainable behaviours at scale.”
