How a social housing provider turned waste into social value with Valpak’s procurement support
Thirteen Group, one of the largest housing associations in the North East, manages over 36,000 homes and serves more than 100,000 customers. As a not-for-profit organisation, they’re committed to environmental performance and community impact, but managing waste across such a vast portfolio presents unique challenges.
In 2020, Thirteen Group approached Valpak to explore whether domestic WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) collected from empty properties and tenants could be integrated into a wider recycling scheme. What followed was a pioneering partnership that’s helped Thirteen reduce fly-tipping, cut disposal costs, and reinvest savings into their award-winning Furniture Reuse Scheme.
Thirteen Group needed a reliable, cost-effective solution for managing domestic WEEE waste, including fridges, TVs, and small electronics, across multiple housing sites. As a social housing provider, they faced:
They also wanted a partner who could support their ISO14001 environmental goals and help them improve recycling rates.
Valpak’s Procurement team stepped in with a tailored WEEE recycling solution:
This was the first time Valpak partnered with a social housing provider in the Northeast for domestic WEEE recycling, setting a precedent for future collaborations.
The partnership has delivered measurable environmental and social impact:
Environmental performance: 97.3% average diversion from landfill at Thirteen’s Recycling Centre (TRC), recycling rates increased from 18% to 40%, reuse rates now average 2%.
Waste collected (last 12 months): Fridges: 20.125 tonnes, TVs: 9.947 tonnes, mixed WEEE: 7.93 tonnes. Prior to the partnership, no small WEEE was being collected.
Cost savings & social value: Disposal savings redirected to fund Thirteen’s Furniture Reuse Scheme. over 100 tonnes of furniture and household items reclaimed and upcycled, more than 370 customers supported with ‘home starter packs’, social value generated: £2,368,752.
Community impact: Reduction in fly-tipping across Thirteen-owned land and gardens, environmental education sessions delivered to 200+ adults and children
Thirteen Group is exploring ways to expand the partnership, including the potential for a WEEE reuse scheme to provide refurbished electrical items as part of their home starter packs.
“Valpak’s support has been instrumental in helping us manage WEEE waste efficiently and compliantly. The savings we’ve made have directly funded our furniture reuse scheme, which has helped hundreds of vulnerable tenants settle into their homes. It’s a partnership that delivers real value, environmentally, financially, and socially.”