RecycleForGood — Safety & Guidelines

Household guidelines

Contactless pickup

Agree a pickup window in‑app.
Leave bags outside — you never have to open your door.
Bring bins/tubs back inside after pickup if you used them.

Where to place bags

Visible, well‑lit spot near your door or bin area.
Clear instructions if there's a gate, side entry, or steps.
Keep pathways clear (no trip hazards).

What not to include

Hazards

No sharp objects or broken glass shards.
No hazardous liquids or chemicals.
If in doubt, leave it out.

Packaging

Use any sturdy bag/box.
Avoid overfilling — keep it carry‑safe.
Cans & bottles only (10c scheme eligible).

Collector guidelines

Respect the household

Follow the agreed pickup spot and time window.
Contactless means no door contact unless invited.
If anything feels unsafe, leave and report in‑app.

Safe handling

Wear gloves if needed and lift safely.
Don't accept hazardous items; report them.
Keep routes short and local.

Partner note for councils

Standardised safety guidance for residents and collectors can be aligned to local work‑health‑safety recommendations and added to campaign materials.

How Ratings Work

After every pickup, both households and collectors can rate each other. Ratings help our community stay reliable, respectful, and safe.

Each rating is tied to a specific job and covers the whole experience – from communication and punctuality to safety and following agreements. The system also captures problems like no-shows, last-minute cancellations, and other pickup-day issues, so everyone can make informed choices.

You can leave a rating after a job is completed, or when something goes wrong. Ratings open when a pickup is finished successfully, when one side does not show up, when someone cancels at the last minute, or when a job is completed but flagged as having an issue.

If someone cancels early with enough notice, neither side leaves a rating – that is normal and fair. But if someone cancels very late or simply does not turn up, the other person can leave a rating that reflects what happened. This ensures that no-shows and last-minute problems are visible to the community.

Households rate collectors on:

Reliability – Did the collector arrive in the agreed time window?
Communication – Were they responsive and clear before and during the pickup?
Respect and safety – Did you feel comfortable and safe during the interaction?
Honouring agreements – Did they follow the agreed container split or donation arrangement?

Collectors rate households on:

Reliability – Was the household ready at the agreed time with containers as expected?
Access – Was it straightforward and safe to reach the pickup location?
Accuracy – Were the containers there and roughly as described in the booking?
Honouring agreements – Did the household follow through on any agreed refund split?

Everyone leaves a rating from one to five stars, can add quick tags to describe the experience, and may include optional written comments.

Each user has two separate scores – one as a household and one as a collector. Your score is based on all the ratings you have received in that role, with recent feedback counting a bit more than older feedback. This means your score reflects how you are performing now, not just what happened months ago.

New users are labelled as "New – not enough ratings yet" until they have completed a few jobs. One bad day will not define you forever. Consistent good behaviour improves your score over time, and occasional issues fade as you build a stronger track record.

Ratings are double-blind for a short period after each job. You cannot see the other person's rating for the same pickup until both reviews are submitted or a short window has passed. This helps prevent revenge ratings and keeps feedback honest.

Photo evidence: We encourage both households and collectors to take photos whenever possible for disputed pickups. Photos will be reviewed along with timestamps and location data. Visual evidence helps resolve disputes fairly and quickly. Examples include photos of containers placed out, pickup completion, or any issues.

If you experience something serious like feeling unsafe or harassment, you can report it directly to our team for review. This is separate from the rating system. All reports are taken seriously and will be investigated. Our team reviews all flagged issues and concerns. Serious violations may result in account restrictions or removal to keep the community safe.

The system is balanced because both sides can rate, both sides can report no-shows and late cancellations, and both sides can build up a strong track record over time. The goal is not perfection – it is trust.

Households can choose collectors with good, recent feedback and feel confident about who is coming to their home. Collectors can see which households are reliable and respectful, so they can plan safe, worthwhile pickups. Everyone benefits when the community holds itself to a fair standard.

How We Build Trust

RecycleForGood connects neighbours – households who want to recycle, and local collectors who turn containers into income. Some collectors are doing it tough, and this platform gives them a fair way to earn.

Verification helps protect everyone and makes every pickup feel safe and respectful. It is about building trust, not putting up barriers.

Every user completes a few quick steps when they join. You confirm your mobile number and email address. Households also confirm their address so collectors know where to go.

Everyone agrees to a simple code of conduct that sets out respectful behaviour. These checks are fast and easy, and they apply to everyone.

Some users choose to go further and get a "Verified" badge. This gives other users extra confidence. There are two ways to become verified, and both are equally trusted.

ID-based verification

You can verify your identity by uploading a photo of an official document and taking a selfie. The system checks that they match, but other users never see your documents – they only see your Verified badge. This process is quick and private.

Community partner verification

If you do not have current ID, you can verify through a trusted community partner instead. This might be a local support service, NGO, or council program that knows you.

They confirm your identity on your behalf, and you get the same Verified badge. This path is especially important for people doing it tough who may not have formal documents but are known and trusted by local services.

"Trusted" is a higher-level badge that you earn over time. To become Trusted, you must be verified, complete several pickups, and build a strong track record with good ratings and very few no-shows.

It reflects consistent reliability and respect, not perfection. Everyone has an off day – Trusted users are simply people who show up, follow through, and treat others well most of the time.

Before you accept a pickup, you can see whether the other person is Basic, Verified, or Trusted. Households see this information about collectors. Collectors see the same information about households.

This helps both sides choose people they feel comfortable with, and it rewards users who build a good reputation.

We do not shut people out just because they cannot provide formal ID. Collectors can build trust through community-partner verification and by keeping a good track record over time.

The goal is to balance safety with opportunity: safer, more predictable pickups for households, and fair, low-barrier income for collectors doing it tough. Everyone deserves a chance to participate and to be treated with respect.

Safety comes first.