To receive and consider a presentation from Ashley Collins, Senior Manager – Waste and Recycling Services.
Minutes:
Documents Considered:
· Presentation
Issues Discussed:
· The presentation shows the data collected to monitor progress towards achieving the statutory Welsh Government recycling targets. When data is compiled, projections are made on a worst case scenario so that the Council does not become complacent in term of target rates. The monthly recycling rate can fluctuate considerably due to the levels of recycling which the Council has collected during a month.
· The recycling statistics are reported to Natural Resources Wales. There was a reporting error in 2019/20 which meant that the Council did not achieve its target of 64% but procedures are now in place to ensure that such an error does not occur again.
· Questions:
The Council has been successful with getting the recycling rate to where it is so far. Where do we go from here, and how do we increase recycling rates. Are the team looking at other ways of increasing recycling rates. Of particular concern are communal sites for recycling on estates which are not suitable for the purpose.
Although the Council needs to work positively with people the system which has been designed does not work well in some areas such as on estates. There is a need to look at better solutions. |
The Council does have bigger challenges ahead to get to a 70% recycling rate by 2024 / 25. The Council is looking at taking more out of residual waste such as plastics, tetra packs, AHPs and moving gradually towards the 70%. In terms of estates, there will also need to be more awareness raising and enforcement and working with housing, other housing associations and community groups to improve recycling rates.
Recycling is always an issue on housing estates. There are communal bins in flats but it is hard to monitor what goes into these. The Council does have an active awareness enforcement team which does work with communities on estates to find solutions. |
Does the Service work with planning when developing new estates to incorporate recycling facilities, and if not should we be. What about the fire risk at transfer stations as there was a recent incident in another county. What is the Council doing about this. What happens to medical waste, does it go to landfill or otherwise dealt with. |
There have been several fires reported recently at waste sites. However, these are larger facilities that we have with a greater concentration of materials stored there. In relation to the Abermule site, prior to receiving an NRW permit, the Council has been required to submit a fire risk management plan which details how the Council would prevent and deal with a fire.
With regard to clinical waste, infectious waste is the responsibility of the Health Board and they provide collections for this. Sharps i.e. needles, there is a take back scheme where these can be taken to local pharmacies which are then collected and sent for incineration. Non infectious materials can be collected by the Council as part of non residual waste. The Council can provide individuals with provide additional capacity but only where appropriate. Some of this will go with residual waste to landfill and some is incinerated as energy from waste. |
In relation to community sites, what is the cost of these sites to the Council. Is the amount of fly tipping increasing or decreasing and what is the cost to the Council and does the Council undertake enforcement.
Electric waste vehicle - the Council only seems to be measuring the fuel cost for the vehicle. What is the carbon emission saving.
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There are about 40 community sites around the county. The budgeted net expenditure this year is £180,000 for staff and vehicles and community groups looking after the sites. There is a small amount of income generated from these sites, around £10,000.
Fly tipping – the Council has not had the issues that other local authorities have had, and there has been some increase in incidents during lockdown but this has since decreased. Powys third in Wales in term of issuing fixed penalty notices. The estimated cost to the Council is around £41,000 for 2020/21.
RCV (Refuse Collection Vehicle), the fuel costs for a diesel vehicle is around £20800 per year, and the fuel costs for an electric vehicle around £7800 per year, thus a saving of £13,000 per year. The data for carbon emissions have not been calculated as yet but it is anticipated that it would be a 60% to 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by comparison to a diesel vehicle.
The Service will be reviewing the vehicle fleet in Powys and will bring information back to the Committee on what the Council needs to do to move to an electrical fleet in the next few years. Whilst the running costs of electric vehicles is much less, the purchase costs are much higher which it is hoped will reduce over time. |
Of the 30% that is not being recycled currently, this is probably made up of things the Council are not collecting currently and residents not sorting things at source. What proportion is attributable to these elements.
Education - people are not aware about why they should recycle. When did the Council undertake the last awareness campaign and should it be undertaken again.
Tetra packs – what is the current position with this. |
With regard to the 30% not recycled, the Council is working behind the scenes to reduce residual waste and move more into kerbside collections and have this processed by companies. The Council is looking to include tetra packs as items collected at the kerbside.
There was an intention to undertake a recycling roadshow prior to the pandemic and it is still the intention to do this when possible. |
Provision of information to the public - roadshows are not always well attended by the public. Could information be supplied to households
Can ash waste from fires be recycled. |
Communications is undertaken through the awareness team and using social media. The Council is working with Welsh Government on their Be Mighty campaign. In terms of achieving the 70% recycling target, the Council is looking at energy from waste and also looking at other ways that recycling can be increased.
The Council is leaving leaflets in boxes when there is contamination, looking at reorganising routes to make efficiencies as well as communicating on an ongoing basis.
Composting woodburner ash is probably the best to do with it, otherwise it should go into residual waste. |
What does it cost the Council to run the garden waste service and how much income do we get. |
Income has increased on the garden waste service due to an increase in customers. The Council makes a slight loss of around £140k. There has been a reduction in cost by removing the bring sites. Income is around £440k, and the cost of running the service is around £600k.
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The focus is on recycling as that's how the Council is measured. What are we doing across Wales about reusing and reducing. |
Welsh Government is considering a deposit return schemes and extended supplier responsibility which will put responsibility on manufacturers.
The Council is improving reuse throughout the county, working with organisations such as Phoenix to divert away from bulky waste which counts towards the Council's targets. It is also working with Open Newtown and an initiative in Llandrindod is being supported. Funding has been received to put shops on other of the Council's sites such as Brecon and the recently completed facility at Ystradgynlais.
Welsh Government in looking at future recycling targets is moving away from recycling and looking at carbon metrics. |
· Comments:
· Could the Committee receive an update on changes to kerbside collections e.g. tetra packs and the awareness raising campaigns.
· Outcomes:
· Information to be provided to the Committee:
· Update on changes to kerbside collections and the awareness raising campaign.
· Reuse and reduce - how is the Council influencing this.
· Figures for running the garden waste service and income.
Supporting documents: