The concept of “Escape bin” is part of the food waste campaign “Don’t make it complicated” and involves participants trying to get into a locked food waste container. By solving riddles related to food waste, participants receive a three-digit answer that unlocks the food waste container. Those who successfully unlock the food waste container receive a prize, such as a seed packet, candy or a compost scraper. At the same time you learn about why it is so important to sort your food waste. Did you know you can go a long way with only a little food waste? 20 banana peels are enough for a city bus powered by biogas to drive 200 metres!

Since june 2023, when we first offered the “Escape bin” as a family-friendly activity on tenant´s days, it has been appreciated by property owners as well as tenants. We measured the amount of sorted food waste at one of the property owners before and after an event took place and it had actually increased significantly, though of course there can be lots of other factors contributing to the result.

Additionally,  as part of the “Don’t make it complicated” campaign this year, we tried to nudge food waste sorting in a few garbage rooms and the quantity was increased with almost 10 per cent.

During the EWWR we now bring the “Escape bin” to different places at the heart of Gothenburg to inspire and educate the public to sort their food waste (of course only the necessary waste you can not eat such as banana and orange peels, tea bags, tea and coffee grounds)

The “Don’t make it difficult” campaign includes folders, films, social media content, posters, as well as a campaign web site and nudging kits for garbage rooms.

Originally Sustainable Waste and Water, along with partners such as The Gothenburg Region and Swedish Waste management, first used the campaign in 2019. We were also actively involved in developing the campaign. This year we reused the campaign concept and even more organisations participated.

This is the first time we use the “Escape bin” concept in public.

Before the campaign originally was developed, we had worked a great deal with customer insights and successfully tried different ways to make residents sort their food waste. As a result, in one apartment building, sorting was almost doubled. Therefore we have also been able to give lots of advice when educating property owners on the subject of food waste. We have used the public campaign not only to raise awareness generally but also specifically to educate and inspire property owners as they play a crucial part to make food waste sorting happen.

During the EWWR, as mentioned, we will use the “Escape bin” activity publicly in town. Media will be invited and we will publish content on our web site, in social media etcetera.

We will also offer property owners as well as media a tour at our pre-treatment plant where food waste is converted into slurry; a pumpable, viscous liquid which is the plant’s end product. The slurry is thereafter in biogas plants converted into two useful resources – biogas and bio-fertilizer.