How Enfield Schools Cut Waste With NLWA Programme 2026

Key Points

• Freezywater Primary School and Houndsfield Primary School in Edmonton both completed the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) ‘In The Know’ education programme during the 2025/26 academic year.
• The two Enfield primary schools achieved a 25% increase in recycling accuracy following targeted educational interventions.
• Baseline and end-of-year audits revealed that general waste disposal accuracy across both schools rose from 64% to 79%, while recycling accuracy climbed from 65% to 90%.
• Across all 13 participating primary schools in North London, total general waste weight dropped by approximately 59.5%, and the overall recycling rate increased from 39% to 45%.
• Programme interventions included hands-on waste audits, in-school assemblies, food waste reduction training, and staff away days.
• Newly appointed NLWA Green Party Chair, Hackney Councillor Jacob Cable, commended the school communities for embedding sustainable habits to tackle the climate emergency.

Enfield (North London News) September 23, 2026 — Freezywater Primary School and Houndsfield Primary School in Edmonton have achieved a significant reduction in waste and a 25% increase in recycling accuracy after participating in the North London Waste Authority’s (NLWA) ‘In The Know’ educational initiative during the 2025/26 academic year, as reported by James Cracknell of the Enfield Dispatch on September 22, 2026.

How did the ‘In The Know’ scheme improve recycling accuracy in Enfield schools?

As reported by James Cracknell of the Enfield Dispatch, Freezywater Primary School and Houndsfield Primary School took part in the NLWA’s comprehensive ‘In The Know’ environmental scheme during the 2025/26 academic year. The programme was specifically designed with the core objective of “establishing a culture of waste reduction by changing behaviours” among students and teaching staff alike.

To measure progress accurately, hands-on waste audits were conducted at the beginning and conclusion of the academic year. At the start of the scheme, baseline audits established that the accuracy of items placed in general waste bins across both Enfield schools stood at 64%, while recycling bin accuracy was recorded at 65%.

Following a series of targeted educational activities, a final audit revealed substantial improvements. Accuracy for general waste disposal rose to 79%, while recycling bin accuracy surged to 90%, representing a net 25% increase in overall recycling precision across the two schools.

What educational interventions were delivered to pupils and school staff?

According to the official scheme details published by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA), the ‘In The Know’ programme delivered a structured suite of engagement sessions focused on circular economy principles.

Participating primary schools received at least five full days of direct engagement from the NLWA. The interventions provided to pupils and staff included:

• Dedicated in-school educational assemblies focused on sustainability and waste prevention.
• Specialized food waste reduction training organized in association with school catering and staff teams.
• Professional development staff away days to align school policies with waste reduction practices.
• Student-led waste sorting audits designed to provide actionable insights into campus consumption patterns.

Across the wider North London initiative involving 13 participating primary schools during the 2025/26 academic year, auditors hand-sorted and classified nearly 15,000 individual waste items and weighed close to half a tonne of rubbish on a bag-by-bag basis.

What were the wider results across all participating North London primary schools?

As detailed in statements released by the NLWA, the collective performance of all 13 participating primary schools across the region demonstrated a dramatic decrease in waste generation and bin contamination.

Across the entire cohort—which included schools in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest—the total weight of general waste collected dropped by approximately 59.5%. Furthermore, the estimated overall recycling rate across audited campuses rose from 39% to 45%. Across all 13 schools, items correctly placed in rubbish bins increased from 70% to 82%, while correctly sorted recycling items increased from 77% to 88%.

The results in Enfield mirror successes seen in previous academic years under the same framework. For instance, Merryhills Primary School in World’s End previously achieved a 37% reduction in general waste after implementing similar waste prevention measures.

How did NLWA leadership respond to the environmental achievements?

As reported by James Cracknell of the Enfield Dispatch, Hackney Councillor Jacob Cable, the newly appointed Green Party Chair of the North London Waste Authority, praised the whole-school commitment shown by pupils and educators.

Highlighting the long-term strategic importance of youth engagement, Councillor Jacob Cable stated:

“Young people are crucial to building a culture of sustainability in North London, which is why it is so important to put knowledge for change in their hands and help them form green habits that will last a lifetime”.

Cable further noted:

“As the new chair of NLWA, it is inspiring to see whole school communities taking ownership of In The Know – reducing contamination, improving recycling practices and embedding behaviours that will make a real difference long term. Responding to the climate emergency takes action across all levels and we must work together to move towards a low waste future”.

He added that the NLWA intends to expand the reach of the ‘In The Know’ initiative to additional educational institutions and formally recognize school achievements through its statutory accreditation scheme.

Background of the particular development

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) is the statutory waste disposal authority responsible for managing municipal waste collected by seven North London borough councils: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest. Serving over 2 million residents, the NLWA works in tandem with borough collection services to promote waste reduction, reuse, and circular economy practices.

The ‘In The Know’ primary schools programme was established by the NLWA as a direct operational intervention to combat rising levels of bin contamination and municipal waste disposal costs. Designed by educational professionals specifically to align with the UK national curriculum, the scheme provides schools with tailored data metrics, infrastructure support, and student-led auditing models. By shifting focus from simple waste management to upfront prevention and behavioral change, the NLWA aims to alleviate pressure on local incineration and processing facilities—such as the Edmonton EcoPark—while assisting borough councils in reaching regional environmental and carbon reduction targets.

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Prediction: How this development can affect primary school communities and local councils

Impact on School Operating Budgets and Resources

The measurable 59.5% reduction in general waste generation across participating primary schools is expected to yield direct financial benefits for school budgets. In the UK public education sector, commercial waste collection costs are heavily weighted by the volume and tonnage of non-recyclable general waste. By diverting materials into standard recycling streams and reducing total food waste, schools in Enfield and across North London can lower commercial disposal fees. These operational savings can subsequently be reallocated toward core classroom resources, learning materials, and extracurricular activities.

Influence on Household Recycling and Community Behaviours

Educational research consistently demonstrates that sustainability habits developed by primary pupils extend beyond the classroom into wider domestic environments through “intergenerational learning.” As pupils in Edmonton master precise waste sorting and circular economy concepts, these practices are frequently adopted by parents and guardians at home. Over time, this behavioral transfer is projected to reduce contamination rates in doorstep council recycling bins across Enfield, decreasing the volume of reject batches at local materials recovery facilities.

Scaling across Local Authority Waste Strategies

The high accuracy rates achieved by Freezywater and Houndsfield primary schools provide a operational blueprint for local council waste strategies. Given the documented success of the 2025/26 cohort, borough councils across North London are likely to expand funding and logistical support for mandatory waste auditing across all state-maintained schools. If rolled out at scale across all seven NLWA constituent boroughs, the cumulative reduction in general waste could significantly lower regional carbon emissions associated with waste transport and thermal processing.