London Green Points is now live! This scheme is transforming recycling in the capital, encouraging residents to reduce waste while supporting local charities and businesses.
What Is London Green Points?
London Green Points is a recycling rewards programme designed to incentivise households to reduce, reuse, and recycle. By measuring waste reduction at a community level, participants earn Green Points, which can be:
- Redeemed for eco-friendly products or experiences.
- Used for discounts at local businesses.
- Donated to local charity projects.
This approach has already seen success elsewhere, such as Havering’s £1m recycling reward scheme, which inspired similar initiatives across London.
Bexley Leads the Way in Recycling Innovation
The London Borough of Bexley has been at the forefront of recycling in London, achieving a 50% recycling rate for the past two years. Now, with the help of a £108,750 grant from the London Waste and Recycling Board’s Flats Recycling Programme, the borough has launched London Green Points to further boost sustainability efforts.
Starting with 2,000 households in Thamesmead, the scheme will expand to 15,000 homes across Bexley, with plans to eventually include all 90,000 households in the borough. This initiative follows the success of similar programmes in Havering, where the council has also implemented a recycling rewards scheme.
How London Green Points Works
The scheme is designed to make recycling easy and rewarding:
- Neighbourhood performance is measured—rather than individual households—to encourage community-wide participation.
- Green Points are awarded based on improvements in recycling rates and waste reduction.
- Residents can redeem Green Points for eco-friendly products, local discounts, or donate them to local charities.
By diverting waste from landfill, councils save money on waste management, and a portion of these savings funds the Green Points programme. Similar incentive models have been tested successfully in other boroughs.
Community and Charity Impact
One of the standout features of London Green Points is its strong community focus. Many residents are choosing to donate their points, benefiting local charities such as:
- The Youth Awareness Project
- MyBnk
- Trees for Cities
These donations have made a tangible difference in Bexley. In Havering, a similar scheme also provided much-needed support for community groups.
Councillor Gareth Bacon, Bexley’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, emphasised:
“Bexley is already London’s top borough for recycling, but we know we can do more. The London Green Points scheme is an excellent way to encourage more people to recycle while strengthening our community.”
Tony Cotter, Chief Executive of Gallions Housing Association, added:
“The community element of this scheme is what makes it special. Supporting local charities through Green Points donations will bring lasting benefits to the area.”
London’s Recycling Challenge
London has the lowest recycling rate in the UK—just 33%, compared to the national average of over 43%. With an EU-wide target of 50%, there’s still a long way to go.
Jump’s Managing Director, Graham Simmonds, recently appeared on London Live to discuss the challenges of recycling in London and why community-based incentive schemes like London Green Points are essential. Many boroughs are working hard to improve recycling rates, but inconsistent rules across London and high-density housing make it difficult for residents to know what can and cannot be recycled.
Despite these challenges, initiatives like Bexley’s London Green Points offer a proven model for driving behaviour change, similar to previous successful projects in Havering and beyond.
What’s Next for London Green Points?
The success in Bexley is just the beginning. Plans are already in motion to expand the scheme to other London boroughs and cities across the UK. With more councils recognising the economic and environmental benefits, London Green Points could soon be a key driver in helping the capital meet its recycling targets.
By rewarding sustainable behaviour, London Green Points isn’t just reducing waste—it’s supporting local communities, strengthening businesses, and making London a greener, cleaner city.
See how it works for yourself
Want to be part of the change? You can learn more about London Green Points and how you can involve your borough by requesting a demo today.
