Lichfield District and Tamworth Joint Waste Service unleashes new food waste monsters into the wild

Affectionately named ‘The Scraps Gang’, the joint waste service’s 10 new food waste vehicles all feature one of five colourful and quirky monsters named by local children following a recent competition. The competition itself kicked off at the district’s bi-annual Food and Drink Festival which is held across the city centre. Keen to inspire the next generation and aware that children can be fantastic advocates for positive recycling habits, the joint waste service invited hundreds to put forward inventive names for their new vehicles with an intriguing twist: they all had to be monsters.

Off the back of their imaginative submissions and after careful consideration, five winning entries were selected and related designs expertly applied to the wraps of the new trucks. The lucky winners - Harvey, Pippa, Darcy, Penny, and Izzy – all between five and eight years old, were later given the opportunity to attend an unveiling ceremony and presentation day at Lichfield District and Tamworth Joint Waste Service’s depot to see their creations in the flesh. Joined by their families and guardians as well as Councillors Phil Whitehouse and David Foster, the children each had the chance to sit in their truck, have photos taken, and received goody bags with specially selected merchandise, including a mug depicting their monster.

Five monsters to spread the message

Each bright, visually striking monster has its own unique personality and design which features alongside the joint waste service’s ‘Recycle for Good’ campaign branding. The five final winning names consisted of Chompy Scraps Monster, Albert Apple Core, Lennie Leftover Legend, Ruby Recycling Queen, and Greg Caddy King. Seven 12-tonne ORUS 7HD and three 7.5-tonne ORUS 6 trucks have already been let loose on the district, and in the first two weeks of being out and about in support of the new weekly food waste collection service have collected more than 120 tonnes of food waste.

“The introduction of our new food waste collection service presented an opportunity to do something a bit different,” said Lauren Hunt, Director of Communications and Marketing at Lichfield District Council. “The monsters now play a critical role in emphasising the importance of recycling food waste by making this feel like a positive, engaging, and memorable initiative. We really wanted the Scraps Gang to encourage conversations about food waste and help residents better understand how they can get involved, and we’re pleased to say it seems to be working.”

By making the Scraps Gang as visible as possible throughout the district, the joint waste service hopes to capture the attention of its residents, especially families, to emphasise just how easy recycling food waste can be. “It’s something every household can do,” added Lauren. “A few small actions made by thousands of our residents can ultimately make a huge difference to the environment. Food waste is a great example of this – it’s a really valuable resource that can easily be recycled into things like renewable energy and fertiliser, so it’s very important to prioritise getting this right at home.”

Lichfield District and Tamworth Joint Waste Service would love to see their new monsters further spark the imaginations of the next generation, aiming to encourage more positive thinking about recycling and the essential role we all play in protecting the environment. “The response to our new food waste service has been fantastic, with more than 120 tonnes collected in just the first two weeks,” said Phil Whitehouse, Cabinet Member for Operational Services, Parks and Waste at Lichfield District Council. “The Scraps Gang has given the service a really distinctive identity and, importantly, helped us make food waste recycling something families can talk about and get involved in. A huge thank you goes to our five young competition winners, whose brilliant ideas are now travelling around the district every week.”

“We’re grateful to be able to play our part in helping Lichfield District and Tamworth Joint Waste Service spread the word about food waste recycling among its residents,” said Charlie Everitt, Regional Service Manager at Dennis Eagle. “Our unified approach to sales and aftermarket has enabled our integrated Terberg Matec UK and Dennis Eagle teams to readily meet the joint waste service’s requirements and provide lasting, world-class support through our Aldridge Service Centre. It’s been brilliant to see our ORUS food waste vehicles take on their new monstrous identities and bring joy and inspiration to hundreds of young people all over the district.”