Updated: Why HWRC Booking Systems Make Financial Sense

Analysis based on data from over 100 HWRCs using HWRC Booking Systems.

It's no secret that Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) are feeling the squeeze.

Due to well-documented budget shortfalls, councils must find new ways to reduce site costs. 

As more authorities move towards a legal minimum service level, talk of site closures, reduced hours, and revised delivery models have dominated conversations. 

In reality, there is no silver bullet for overcoming these budget shortfalls. 

However, one approach has grown in popularity, with over 50% of councils now using a HWRC booking system to generate cost efficiencies. 

With this in mind, we’ll explore findings from the 100+ sites we work with to determine the financial impact of HWRC booking systems.

Kent, West Sussex, and Western Riverside.

Let’s start by looking at three real-life examples from the bookinglab community. 

To provide a well-rounded analysis, we’ve selected councils with varying numbers of sites and booking volumes.

For example, Kent has 19 sites. West Sussex has 11 sites, and Western Riverside has a single site.

Hannah Allard, Insight and Development Manager at Kent County Council (KCC), highlights that Kent’s booking system has led to over £1.4 million in cost savings. These savings are credited to decreased tonnage, increased site efficiency, reduced misuse, and lower communication costs.

Likewise, Wayne Howick, Senior Contracts and Waste Enforcement Officer at West Sussex County Council (WSCC), reports that their HWRC booking system has cut costs by an estimated £650,000 per year. The council attributes this to reduced tonnage, streamlined waste management, decreased misuse, and the elimination of its permit scheme.

Mark Broxup, General Manager at Western Riverside Waste Authority (WRWA), also states that autonomous booking rules have enabled his team to prevent out-of-borough residents from using its site, resulting in annual cost savings of over £200,000.

The authorities we've highlighted above represent a key cross-section of our community, which includes over 100 sites. On average, these sites save more than 14 times their initial investment with our HWRC Booking System.

But how are the savings generated?

Now that we've established that HWRC booking systems deliver substantial savings, let's explore how these savings are created.

• By reducing tonnage and waste management costs.

WSCC observed that sites using booking technology receive, on average, 35% less waste compared to those without it. Similarly, WRWA experienced a 7% reduction in tonnage after introducing the booking system. Hampshire County Council, another of our partners, reported a 31% reduction in tonnage after implementing the system — this is without site closures or operating hours changes.

This reduction is largely driven by innovative rules, alerts, and workflows that empower site managers to control usage and stop (or charge) out-of-borough residents and traders from using sites.

Notably, within just a few months of going live, WSCC banned 11 additional vehicles from its sites, effectively reducing the influx of unauthorised waste through its system.

Hannah Allard (from KCC) notes that a shift in customer behaviour has also played a role in the reduction. Since implementation, Kent has seen customers visiting less often with slightly more waste. Anecdotal evidence points to an increase in re-use/re-selling activity and an increased use of skips.

• By increasing site efficiency and improving processes.

By controlling the number of site visits, HWRC managers can allocate staff more effectively, avoid over/understaffing, and reduce unnecessary overtime spending. 

With a predictable inflow of waste, staff can also efficiently plan the use of site equipment and transport vehicles. This proactive approach helps to reduce wasted capacity and avoid the costly disposal methods associated with an unexpected surge in volume.

KCC also reports significant cost savings through its booking system’s communication tools. Previously, site closures required extensive efforts like signage, leaflets, or press ads. Now, staff simply block bookings, update the website, and use the built-in mass emailer to send notifications.

Other members of our community have generated savings by replacing/integrating voucher and permit schemes with their booking systems. This change has reduced printing costs, with WSCC estimating annual savings of approximately £75,000.

• By enabling sites to become data-driven.

According to our community, the data our system collects on waste trends and resident behaviour has enabled more informed budgeting decisions, improved resource allocation, and the accurate modelling of strategic cost-saving initiatives. 

Equipped with data on waste types and volumes at the district and ward levels, our partners have also developed targeted education and outreach programs that have reduced waste management costs and improved on-site processes.

• By creating new revenue streams.

What’s more, with the data stored in the system and a pioneering DIY Waste Management Module, our community has been able to accurately monitor (and charge for) DIY waste deposits that exceed the limits outlined in the new legislation.

They’ve also been able to charge for out-of-borough usage, easily identify and charge commercial users, Introduce charges for discretionary services, and better market new initiatives like reuse workshops.

• By improving recycling rates and reducing material segregation costs.

KCC states that because its booking system has automated on-site processes and improved demand management, staff have more time to help visitors correctly segregate waste, resulting in a 5% recycling rate increase. Likewise, WRWA credits its 9% recycling rate increase to more efficient sorting processes, improved communication, and greater visibility of waste streams pre-visit.

Learn more.

This was a very quick introduction to some of the financial benefits of our industry-leading HWRC Booking Service.

If you’d like to see the system in action or learn more about how it delivers a 1000%+ ROI, click here.