Unless you’re Tom Cruise or one of the Avengers, you probably haven’t seen your face on the side of a bus stop.
But in Haringey this week it’s a different set of heroes who are in the spotlight – the staff of the local recycling collection crew. Along with their colleagues from around north London, these unsung heroes are the face of a new campaign that sees them featuring on the side of bus stops around the local area.
The ads are part of a new campaign from North London Waste Authority, in conjunction with the London Borough of Haringey and five other north London councils. The campaign is called Together We Recycle, because as well as teaching residents how to sort their recycling at home, it introduces them to the everyday heroes who collect that recycling and make sure it goes where it needs to.
Samson, Natalia and Zed from the collection team in Haringey Veolia are crew members featuring in the campaign.
As part of the campaign, recycling crew will feature not just in bus stop ads but social media posts and educational leaflets delivered to some residents. Residents will get the chance to share their gratitude by writing a message of thanks on the NLWA website.
NLWA Member Councillor Mike Hakata was excited to see the ads pop up across north London. “In north London we have one of the most extensive recycling services in the country, provided to every household. Our recycling crews play a vital role, working hard day in, day out to collect household recycling and take it to the sorting facility. This campaign celebrates their hard work and encourages residents to put the right thing in the right bins. Our crews deserve the superhero treatment as much as any movie star!”
Collection crew members Samson, Natalia and Zed also feature in the campaign.
Samson said: “I’m a friendly guy and I really enjoy playing table tennis in my spare time. I’ve been a recycling loader for three years and it feels good to see residents recycle properly, so I just wanted to say a big thank you! What really motivates me is seeing what we can achieve when we work together – last year, we collected over 108,000 tonnes of recycling from north London – that’s more
than twice the weight of the Titanic!”
Natalia said: “I think I’m a pretty easy-going person, which is an important trait as a recycling vehicle driver. I love travelling around Europe (which I always do from behind the wheel). It’s great being on shift with Zed and Samson, we have a good time keeping each other’s spirits up and overcoming the obstacles of our job together. Keep up the recycling Haringey!”
Zed said: “I’ve lived in Haringey with my family for 15 years – it feels like home. Music is a big part of my life – I play the guitar, keyboard and I sing too. And working in recycling is a real pleasure as well! I’ve taught my four kids how to recycle well at home as I want to get it right, now that I know what it feels like to be on the other side. If you’re ever unsure about what can be recycled, you can quickly check at: TogetherWeRecycle.com.”
Notes to editors:
1. Established in 1986, North London Waste Authority (NLWA), is the statutory waste disposal
body responsible for sorting the recycling and treating non-recyclable waste collected by
the seven north London boroughs. At the heart of NLWA’s collaborative work with the boroughs is a mission to encourage north London residents to reduce waste and increase their recycling.
2. NLWA serves two million residents in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest.
3. NLWA’s aim is to preserve resources and the environment today and for future generations, as outlined in our Waste Prevention Plan. We are committed to innovation and careful planning to ensure we manage waste resources effectively and sustainably. We work with residents, schools and businesses in north London to promote waste minimisation and recycling.
