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Defra goes binless the 'executive' way

BBC Published Jun 7, 2010 Reviewed Jul 3, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors

The 'Executive' range of recycling waste bins cost £148 each, compared to standard wheelie bins at £57 each, resulting in an extra £32,000 expenditure.

148 GBP · Executive bin unit cost57 GBP · standard wheelie bin unit cost32000 GBP · extra cost for Executive bins

The 2007 internal report estimated that going binless would save 13 hours of cleaner labour per week across Defra's six London offices, equating to an annual saving of £4,968.

13 hours · weekly cleaner time saved4968 GBP · annual labour cost saving

The payback period for the Executive bins is estimated at 5.86 years, compared with 2.09 years for standard wheelie bins.

5.86 years · payback period for Executive bins2.09 years · payback period for wheelie bins

Defra aims to meet Government Estate recycling targets 12 years early by implementing the binless office proposal.

12 years · time saved in meeting recycling target

The 'Bin the Bin' report was drafted onsite by Defra's facilities team at no extra cost to the department.

Defra paid an extra £32,000 for the executive range of recycling waste bins.

32000 GBP · cost difference report, internal report

The executive bins cost £148 each, compared to £57 each for standard wheelie bins.

148 GBP · executive bin cost57 GBP · wheelie bin cost report, internal report

Cleaners save 13 hours per week and an estimated £4,968 annually by removing bins from desks.

13 hours · time saved per week4968 GBP · annual saving report, internal report

The payback period for executive bins is 5.86 years, compared to 2.09 years for wheelie bins.

5.86 years · payback period executive2.09 years · payback period wheelie report, internal report

Executive bins cost £32,273 more than the adapted wheelie bin version.

32273 GBP · cost difference report, internal report

Defra would hit its Government Estate recycling target 12 years early by implementing the proposal.

12 years · early target achievement report, internal report

The total cost for 146 standard wheelie bins is £18,182, while the Executive bin option costs £51,118.

18182 GBP · total cost for standard wheelie bins (146 units)51118 GBP · total cost for Executive bins32273 GBP · extra cost of Executive bins over wheelie bins

The Executive bins are expected to last at least three years and remain in good condition.

at least 3 years · expected lifespan of Executive bins

Standard wheelie bins cost a total of £18,182 for 146 units, while executive bins cost £51,1182.

18182 GBP · total cost wheelie511182 GBP · total cost executive146 units · number of wheelie bins report, internal report

A government department paid an extra £32,000 for the "executive" range of recycling waste bins to impress visitors, an internal report reveals.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs bought the "aesthetically pleasing" range at a cost of £148 each - instead of the standard wheelie bins at £57 each.

The expensive bins would project a more "professional" image at Defra's London HQ, says the report.

The 2007 report, which has been deposited in the House of Commons library, argues the case for getting rid of bins beneath civil servants' desks in favour of centralised "recycling stations" on every floor.

Going binless would help the environment, the report argues, and lower the department's "carbon footprint".

It would also save on sacks, bin liners and labour costs - with cleaners spending 13 hours less each week removing bins from under individual desks, adding up to an estimated annual saving of £4,968 across the department's six London offices. The report estimates it would take 5.86 years to pay back the cost of the executive bins, compared with 2.09 years for the wheelie bin option.

The report admits the same benefits could be achieved with standard wheelie bins, at a total cost of £18,182 for 146, but recommends buying the "executive" model, with specially moulded lids, at total cost of £51,1182, because they look better.

"The Executive bins are specifically built for an office environment and are aesthetically pleasing, but cost £32,273 more than the slightly larger and more cumbersome adapted Wheely bin version, which offers a budget option for delivery of this project," says the report.

It adds: "Choosing the Executive bin option would maintain the professional office environment that Defra look to maintain throughout their estate, especially in their HQ buildings to which many important visitors come."

In conclusion, it argues that moving to a binless office with recycling stations would help Defra achieve its aim of being a "trail blazer" for other departments on meeting recycling targets: "Implementing this proposal would result in Defra hitting their Government Estate recycling target 12 years early and so living this aspiration."

Defra said its decision to purchase Executive bins instead of Wheelie bins had been justified on both cost and environmental grounds.

A spokeswoman said: "Following proposals outlined in the 'Bin the Bin' report Defra opted to introduce binless offices and increase the use of recycling stations.

"After careful consideration we chose to purchase large executive recycle bins that are specifically built for use in an office environment for use in recycling stations. This was a one off cost as the bins are extremely robust and three years later they are still as good as new.

"These stations have made it easier for staff to recycle more and waste less."

She said the "bin the bin" report was "drafted onsite by our facilities team at no extra cost to the department".

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