Agenda item

The select committee to receive a report regarding the development of the recycling service and improving recycling rates.

The report was introduced by Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member Transport Waste Street Scene and Flooding. He firstly expressed his disappointment with the bin strike and how it had overshadowed good news about the new collection rounds resulting in savings and improved recycling rate leading to more income from recycled materials. 

Martin Litherland, Head of Waste Management, summarised the key parts of the report. This included the new mixed dry recycling scheme introduced in 2020 and the strong performance of the waste and recycling services during the pandemic, despite increased pressure on the service. Future plans for the service included proposed battery recycling scheme and collection of small electrical items as a response to an increase in the number of waste fires. In response to the Environment Act 2021 there are plans for a deposit return scheme, weekly food waste collection and free of charge garden waste collection.

Questions and comments on the report followed which included the following points:

·       Contamination of recycling materials and how to reduce it. Contamination is measured by the service and a video of the recycling plants and how they work is being considered to improve the understanding of how to correctly recycle. Councillors also noted the importance of education in schools and suggested signage on bin lids to improve recycling habits.

·       That plant performance is monitored, and recirculation of material would be commencing soon with the aim to improve performance. As well as this the separation discs would be replaced to reduce gaps and catch more small items to improve efficiency. 

·       Waste miles and how best to measure them was looked at closely and factored in when looking at contracts.

·       Food waste and the changes needed in Wiltshire due to the Environment Act 2021. Officers clarified that most food waste currently goes to produce energy at the Westbury plant. As a result, there would be a need to assess the impact on removing food waste from the waste stream and consider the optimum time for food waste collection to be added. 

·       The role of waste vehicles in lowering Wiltshire Council’s carbon emission. Officers explained that they were considering the most appropriate time to decarbonise the waste fleet, bearing in mind the importance of efficiency and reliability. A hybrid approach could be taken with EV for local collections and different options for longer distances. It was highlighted that the service had managed to reduce the number of waste vehicles from 149 to 121.

·       Cllr Tony Jackson paid tribute to the outstanding work of the waste team. He also drew attention to the Warminster biogas facility and questioned whether it could be used in a pilot scheme for food waste collection. Officers were unsure of a trial as such but would keep discussion open.

·       The implications for Wiltshire Council of introducing free garden waste collections. Figures on what is currently spent and what is currently earnt from garden waste were requested.

·       Whether the improved recycling income was sustainable or likely to drop back to pre-2020 levels. Officers predicted that it would not return to pre-pandemic levels and that the Environment Act 2021 should maintain good prices, though forecasts take account of some degradation.

Resolved:

That the Committee,

a)    Note the findings of the report, particularly in relation to the impacts of the Covid pandemic on waste service performance since the implementation of a new kerbside recycling scheme.

b)    Note the actions planned to help reduce the contamination of kerbside collected Mixed Dry Recycling.

c)    Note the future developments that may arise under the Environment Act 2021.

d)    In upcoming updates receive information on communication strategies; the emerging future waste collection plans and their impacts including costs and the overall carbon emissions of recycling.

e)    At a future convenient time visit the Materials Recycling Facility (MFR) at Calne.