Strängnäs municipality creates meeting places that engage

In Strängnäs Municipality, garbage cans are more than garbage containers, they are tools for engaging both residents and visitors.

With the core values "Together and with the benefit of the residents in focus, we create the sustainable municipality of the future," the municipality is pursuing long-term work where environmental and social sustainability go hand in hand. Josefin Krakowski, investigator at the Technical and Service Office, talks about her experiences of creating meeting places, the importance of local involvement and how trash cans can become a talking point.

The organization behind the garbage

In Strängnäs municipality, the Technical and Service Office is responsible for waste management in public places. The office includes the "Gata Park" department, with 22 employees who handle, among other things, the emptying of waste bins, snow removal and park maintenance.

Responsibility for waste in Strängnäs is shared between the municipality and the company SEVAB. The municipality handles waste in public places, while SEVAB, via the joint operating company ESEM, is responsible for household waste from properties. Josefin herself works strategically as an investigator of waste and recycling issues. The municipality also has a sustainability function that drives sustainability development forward.   

Litter measurement as a basis for development

To get a clear picture of how littering looks in the municipality, a litter survey of central parts of Strängnäs and a litter survey of four popular bathing areas were carried out in 2023. The results became a starting point for planning future initiatives.

The measurement was carried out according to Keep Sweden Tidy's guidelines and the survey covered four popular municipal bathing areas where the pressure of litter is particularly high during the summer season.

This summer, a new litter survey will be carried out in the same locations as in 2023. The results will then be compared with the 2023 litter survey to see what effect the measures have had. This will also provide an important basis for further developing both waste management and future actions.

Smart technology to make work more efficient

To streamline the work, Strängnäs has chosen to use connected compacting bins from Bigbelly in selected locations. With the help of Clean, the municipality can follow the fill rate and status in real time.

When the requirements for source sorting in public places approached, the municipality began to think early on how the existing barrels could be used. The solution was to combine several containers into a source sorting station instead of standing one by one, without the possibility of sorting the waste. The function that has been helpful is heatmaps , to identify where the pressure is greatest and then relocate the units for further optimization.

-We evaluated with heatmaps to see where the pressure was greatest and where the barrels would be most useful. When the guidelines came out with which fractions applied, we already had a solution in place.
We moved the barrels around to places where they can be more useful, and combined the existing barrels into triple stations. We will evaluate and develop as we go, but now we have a good start for the summer, Josefin continues.

Trash cans as message carriers

A year ago, ahead of the 2024 summer season, a pilot project with a foiled talking Bigbelly was started as part of the municipality's sustainability work. The barrel was placed in the playground next to the marina and park on Visholmen, where there are a lot of people. To draw attention to the fact that waste should not end up in the water, the container was designed with an underwater motif of litter.

- "The Big Belly on the playground also talks, which has of course been appreciated by all the children. People stop and reflect, and the bins become a talking point that highlights the issue of littering." says Josefin.

The underwater motif has been carried over to the new sorting stations, so that there is a common thread in the design. And now there is another talking waste bin at one of the new stations.

Another successful project was when preschools in Strängnäs got involved in designing their own motifs for 20 small bins. The motifs were combined with quotes on the lids that the children themselves had come up with, such as "We shouldn't litter, because then the earth will be sad" and "Some animals think that litter can be food, and then it gets stuck in their beaks."

- "The design project was very much appreciated. The preschoolers made the residents see the litter from the children's perspective. It was an effective way to engage residents and create conversations," says Josefin.

Meeting places that engage

For Strängnäs municipality, the three aspects of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) are equally important. Practical initiatives such as nudging, which is about getting people to behave in a desired way by changing their choices, are combined with social projects that promote community and responsibility.

A popular example is the Wall of Kindness initiative in Galleria Präntaren. The wall is a collaboration with the second-hand shop Butik Garderoben, Starka händer, the municipality and Galleria Präntaren. See a report from SVT here. The concept, which can be found all over the world, is simple: take a garment if you need it - or leave one if you have extra. To keep the space alive, the wall changes theme regularly, such as 'Warm clothes' during the winter and 'Graduation times' for the June graduations.

For the summer, the theme will be 'Closing and Graduation'. All warm clothes will be removed and residents are encouraged to bring in festive clothes instead. As part of the theme, the municipality is also collecting stories about how clothes are given a new life. To highlight the value of reuse in a personal and inspiring way, anyone can contribute a picture and a short story about how the garment lives on.

Engaging meeting places are a cornerstone of Strängnäs municipality's sustainability work. When residents, associations and businesses are invited to collaborate, the best conditions are created. By linking physical measures such as waste bins and recycling, with social goals on climate impact, inclusion and participation, Strängnäs creates sustainability work that is both concrete and long-term. 

Five ideas for successful nudging

1. Involve residents in designing trash cans and create a talking point everyone can relate to.
2. Link to existing events and campaigns, to reinforce messages and increase reach
3. Identify the main waste challenges and create activities based on them.
4. Collaborate with local actors such as malls, involve colleagues, associations and businesses in joint efforts.
5. Think broadly in communication, use channels that fit the message. Feel free to try new approaches to spread the word.
   
   

Going the extra mile to highlight the issue of littering

Trash cans are something we all pass by daily, often without thinking about it. Strängnäs municipality sees the bins as an opportunity to highlight sustainability issues in a concrete and accessible way.

"We want to go the extra mile to highlight the issue of littering. Litter bins are something everyone can relate to and has a relationship with. It's something we pass every day without thinking about, but that's why they are the perfect tool to raise awareness about sustainability and the environment" says Josefin

By going the extra mile, such as involving preschools in design projects, something as ordinary and common as a trash can can become a tool for change.

A big thank you to Strängnäs Municipality and the Technical and Service Office as well as the Street Park Department, for letting us take part in your work and commitment. You do a fantastic job!