Extra MSA more than doubles recycling rate under staff-sort model. Motorway service area operator Extra MSA has lifted its average recycling rate from 18 per cent to 49 per cent after switching to a staff-sort model developed with Reconomy Connect. Food court bins were replaced with mixed-waste trolleys, and external car park bins removed in April 2025.
The pilot launched at Extra's flagship Beaconsfield service station in spring 2024 under the banner 'Litter, we'll sort it for you'. Food court bins were replaced with signed trolleys, and trained staff sorted waste at a dedicated on-site facility. Recycling rates rose to 36 per cent by April 2025. The operator then removed all external car park bins from its 10 sites. Customers either returned waste to food courts or took it home, litter levels held steady, and the absence of food waste outdoors reduced vermin.
The partnership delivered lower spend on bin bags and waste handling without an increase in labour hours, according to Reconomy. David Gudgeon, Head of External Affairs at Reconomy Connect, said the approach showed 'with the right data and process, we can make recycling simple, effective, and measurable across the retail and hospitality sector'.
