Cutting edge technology to boost recycling and change behaviour

The latest Recycle for London campaign is using innovative technologies to encourage Londoners to think before they throw away their rubbish and to feed their recycling habit instead.

The campaign is responding to the digital generation and putting the recycling message directly into people’s hands with a mobile phone game. This is the first time that such technology has been used for a public sector campaign. The game, which has been translated for mobile phone use by London-based mobile marketing agency Incentivated, challenges the user to starve their hungry ‘evil bin’ by catching all recyclable materials in a green recycling box. Players score points for every item caught, but if the evil bin eats three items which should be recycled it’s game over. Users can also download ringtones and mobile wallpaper.

Despite recent reports of a downturn in the market for recycled materials the Mayor is confident that the recycling market will recover. Over 60 per cent of the rubbish we throw away can actually be recycled and yet Londoners on average are recycling 20 per cent of their waste. Now everyone in London can recycle paper, glass and cans at the very least and the message from the Recycle for London campaign is to reassure people and encourage them to recycle more.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and Chair of the London Waste and Recycling Board said: 'In London we throw away so much rubbish that could actually be recycled - it is an important resource which is simply being chucked away. I am very excited that the new Recycle for London campaign is using innovative technologies to boost recycling and my message is to starve your bins and recycle, recycle, recycle.‘

For the first time, the Recycle for London campaign will feature in TV adverts, in addtion to radio, press and online adverts and bus and Tube posters. The campaign is funded by the London Waste and Recycling Board, which is chaired by the Mayor. The London Waste and Recycling Board has a budget of £84 million to deliver funding to boost recycling and ensure London's waste is managed sustainably, with minimal damage to the environment.

Councillor Daniel Moylan said: ‘Because of the arrangements London boroughs have put in place, Londoners can continue to recycle safe in the knowledge that their efforts are not in vain. Along with reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill, driving up recycling is our top priority and we shouldn’t let a few scare stories in the media divert us from this important endeavour.’ The advertising campaign was devised by WCRS and planned by Mediaedgecia. The "evil bin" game was originally created by altogether. Londoners can download the game by texting BIN to 62967. iPhone users can download the game from the Apple Store on iTunes. All users can forward the game to friends.

For more information about recycling visit www.recycleforlondon.com or call 0845 331 3131.

Notes to Editors

1. The Recycle for London campaign is funded by the London Waste and Recycling Board. For more on the Board and its roles and responsibilities go to www.lwarb.gov.uk.

2. Mobile marketing agency Incentivated has developed the game as a Java application for most mobiles using the key pad to catch the recyclable waste in a green bin, and a version for Apple iPhones which uses the handset’s gyroscope: by tilting the phone left and right, the player moves the bin left and right.

3. The advertising campaign was devised by agency WCRS.

4. Mediaedge:cia (MEC) services include brand and consumer insight and ROI, communications planning, media planning and buying, interaction (digital, direct, search), sport, entertainment and cause partnerships and retail consultancy.

5. The mobile phone game works on the majority of the most popular internet ready mobile phones in circulation. It will not work on BlackBerries and non-internet ready phones.

For further information please contact Nicola Dillon on 020 7983 4066 or Hilary Merrett on 020 7983 4755 in the Mayor's Press Office (numbers not for publication) For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000. For non-media enquiries please call the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.