Agenda item

To receive an update on the various changes to waste and recycling collections for the area.

Officer: Tracy Carter, Service Director, Waste Management Services

Tom Bray, Community Area Manager asked people to take part in a short quiz on waste and recycling services, by using the voting handsets which had been circulated previously. This was a fun way to establish how much people knew about which services were available and which items could be recycled under the new scheme.

Tracy Carter, Service Director for Waste Management then gave a presentation to the Board on the implementation of the new services.

This item was filmed and has been uploaded to YouTube to enable other people who were unable to attend the meeting to see it. The item can be viewed online by clicking on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwK2Y2BBV2c&feature=channel_video_title

In 2009, Wiltshire Council had inherited four different waste collection services from the four different councils. The council aims to provide the same service to everyone in Wiltshire.

The cost of landfill tax is rising by £8 per tonne per year, the current cost is £56/tonne but this is set to reach £80/tonne by 2014.

A county wide consultation previously showed that 72% of those who took part were in favour of the new waste and recycling service. For the South this would be:

·       A fortnightly collection of plastic bottles and cardboard

·       A fortnightly black box recycling service

·       Non-recyclable waste to be collected fortnightly

·       An opt-in free garden waste green bin, collected fortnightly

For those households able to home compost were urged to continue to do this as it is the best way to recycle home garden waste. Currently, 12,000 tonnes of garden waste a year is sent to landfill.

The deadline for people to sign up for the opt in green waste bin is 30^th September 2011, for a delivery of the bin in February 2012. This can be done by telephone, online, by post or at one of the forthcoming road shows.

Questions and comments were then taken, these included:

·       A Downton resident was disappointed that only plastic bottles and cardboard could be recycled in the blue bin. Answer: The Council is aware that this may be a key issue for some of its residents; however by only collecting plastic bottles we can achieve a high quality plastic recyclable material for the re-processor. If other plastics are included this reduces the rate that we are able to get for our plastics. It is hoped that in the future there will be a service which could take mixed plastics but for the time being that market is not there.

·       Would it be possible to improve the access to and from the Salisbury Household Recycling Centre situated in the Churchfields Industrial Estate, Salisbury. Currently using the same access ramp to enter and to depart causes a congestion problem? Answer: The Council is aware of the concerns around the Churchfields site and that traffic management there can sometimes be an issue.

·       Are there any plans to digest food waste to turn it into methane? Answer: At present it would not be economically viable for the Council to collect and process that type of waste.

·       Can Tetra pack items go in with the cardboard for recycling? Answer: No, Tetra Pack presents its own problems as they have to be returned to the manufacturers in Sweden as they are the only plant capable of recycling them for reuse.

·       One person commented that although he was pleased with the recycling service, he felt that the black box was too heavy when full to carry out for collection and suggested that this box should have wheels. Answer: A second black box can be supplied to households who find that they fill their first one, or for those who have difficulty lifting the black box, two smaller baskets can be provided. Other alternatives may be considered in the future.

·       When the blue bins had originally been implemented, one person had asked a collection operative which items could be put in for recycling, to be told that everything could. He asked if the collection team could be educated to provide the correct information. Answer: All staff will be briefed before the new services are implemented. Staff are encouraged to direct people to the website or to contact the waste services team for further information if they have been unable to answer a question.

·       Does Wiltshire Council confer with other counties on the different services available, as there seems to be a wide difference between some counties? Answer: It is for each waste collection authority to decide which services it can offer and for each waste disposal service to decide which methods to use to process the materials collected. As every authority tries to recycle more and more, we will see additional services put in place.

·       As we go over to a fortnightly collection of household non-recyclable waste, will there be a plan to increase the size of the black wheeled bin? Answer: No, the standard size of bin will be offered which is 180ltr.

·       One person remarked that two weeks waste in to one bin does not go. Answer: It is anticipated that with the additional recycling collections available, the level of household waste will be reduced.

·       Is it the case that the economic factors governing the treatment of waste will force different counties to amalgamate schemes? Answer: There are difficulties associated with the planning stage for a site which deals with more than one county’s waste. There is usually residential opposition for processing another county’s waste in their area.

·       If a household is particularly large, is there an opportunity to have a larger black bin? Answer: If households are experiencing difficulties in managing their waste, a member of the waste services team would meet with them to assist them managing their waste before considering issuing a larger bin.