Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF) Longitudinal Evaluation: Impact reports
Ongoing evaluation of the impacts delivered through Recycling Improvement Fund projects
Zero Waste Scotland administers the £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF) on behalf of the Scottish Government. The fund aims to accelerate progress towards Scotland's waste reduction, recycling and net zero ambitions through investment in local authority recycling infrastructure and services. To date, the fund has made 48 awards to 27 local authorities, with a total value of more than £66 million.
The RIF Longitudinal Evaluation programme assesses how funded projects are contributing to the aims and objectives of the fund over time. As projects move from implementation into operational delivery, the evaluation tracks their impacts on recycling performance, material quality, reuse, carbon savings and wider environmental outcomes. Publishing annual reports allows us to build a growing evidence base on the effectiveness of funded interventions and understand how outcomes develop as projects mature. Findings to date suggest that impacts are strengthening over time as more projects become fully operational and more post-implementation data becomes available.
2023 Impact Report
The first report in the longitudinal evaluation series assessed 10 projects across 10 local authorities, representing £15.6 million of Recycling Improvement Fund investment.
More than 4,600 tonnes of additional recycling and 100 tonnes of reuse were delivered across participating local authorities in 2023. 64% of funding recipients reported that their projects had achieved their goals, while all reported positive outcomes. Around 30 new jobs were created to support project implementation.
The 2023 evaluation is comprised of a detailed technical report and accompanying data tables.
2024 Impact Report
The second report in the longitudinal evaluation series expands the evidence base significantly, covering 20 projects across 17 local authorities and £32.7 million of investment, representing around 49% of the total fund.
9,615 tonnes of additional recycling and 181 tonnes of reuse delivered during 2024.
9,978 tonnes of carbon savings (tCO₂e) generated through evaluated projects.
Fourteen of 17 local authorities demonstrated measurable improvements in one or more outcome indicators.
Statistically significant impacts linked to RIF-funded interventions were identified in five local authorities. Evidence suggests impacts are becoming clearer as projects reach operational maturity.
The 2024 evaluation is comprised of a summary report which provides a shorter narrative overview, a detailed technical report and accompanying data tables.
2024 Impact Report
RIF Evaluation 2024 Data for Figures.xlsx
Emerging picture
The first two years of the longitudinal evaluation show encouraging evidence that the Recycling Improvement Fund is contributing to improvements in recycling performance, service quality and carbon outcomes across Scotland.
The evaluation highlights progress towards more consistent, higher-quality recycling services. Across projects targeting contamination reduction, improvements in material quality were consistently observed, indicating that investment is supporting not only higher recycling volumes but also better-quality recyclable materials.
Alongside environmental benefits, the Fund is also delivering wider social and operational benefits. Examples highlighted in the report include new reuse opportunities through Orkney's mattress reuse project, improved household recycling centre performance in several local authorities, and Fife's authority-wide flexible plastics collection service, which captured more than 1,000 tonnes of material and is generating lessons for future recycling systems across Scotland.
Future reports will continue to track the performance of funded projects as implementation progresses and will provide further insight into the long-term contribution of the Fund towards Scotland's circular economy and net zero ambitions.
Recommended articles
- Case study
