Ever since the statutory recycling targets came into being in 2000, local authority recycling officers have been looking for more direct methods of engaging with the public to raise their awareness of recycling and encourage their effective participation in the local services on offer. Authorities can no longer 'play' with the idea of engaging their residents, and are now facing a steep challenge if they are to ensure that the majority of people recycle the majority of their wastes in time to meet their 2005/06 performance targets. One of the options available to these recycling officers has a patchwork history including widespread use in the USA and pilot trials in central London as far back as 1995 - namely the use of home advisors or doorsteppers. In the last five years a number of authorities in the UK have experimented with home advisors to improve participation in kerbside recycling collections and its popularity as an education and promotions option continues to grow. It is estimated that in the last 12 months over 50 doorstep campaigns of differing sizes and with varying themes have been initiated by local authorities in the UK, and this number will continue to grow as authorities submit bids to the Wrap Recycling Communications Fund, the Defra Local Authority Support Fund and the London Recycling Fund to assist them in improving their scheme performance before the 2005/06 review.
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