Minutes:
Mike Brown, the Council’s Interim Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods and Councillor Helen-Ann Smith, Deputy Leader and Executive Lead Member for Parks and Environmental Services informed the Committee of the new requirements to be placed upon the Council as a result of large scale changes to current recycling in England. These changes were to be delivered through ‘Simpler Recycling’ which had been developed as part of the UK Resource & Waste Strategy 2018 and the Environment Act 2021.
The Council had recently received a Government allocation of £895,526 (capital funding) to support its introduction of weekly domestic food waste collections by October 2027. A revenue allocation was also expected from Government over the coming months.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) had initiated three interrelated projects known as ‘The Packaging Reforms Programme’ aimed at bringing about major change to how waste is paid for and collected:
Extended Producers Responsibility(EPR) – requiring companies that produce or sell products in the UK to cover the full cost of collecting and sorting household packaging waste.
Consistent Collections – simplifying the materials that are required to be presented for recycling from householders, businesses and organisations.
Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – that places a redeemable deposit on all single-use plastics and metal drinks containers up to three litres in volume.
In respect of the Environment Act’s impact on the Council and specifically in respect of ‘Consistent Collections’, the following deadlines had been set by Government:
· Collection of seven different recycling materials (glass, metal, plastic, paper, card, food and garden waste) by 31 March 2026 (Ashfield are exempted and can delay the start date of food waste collection until October 2027)
· Weekly collection of food waste
· Collection of plastic film into the recovery/recycling waste stream by April 2027
· Collection of the remaining residual waste at least fortnightly by March 2026.
Officers had already commenced modelling the opportunities and possibilities available to the Council and local residents to reconfigure the service and maximise the recycling of existing household waste. Development of a draft Costed Action & Delivery Plan (CADP) was due to commence shortly, and it was hoped that Members would have sight of the draft, for initial consideration, later in the year.
The Chairman thanked the Interim Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods for his update and a lengthy discussion was undertaken with some key points as follows:
Key Points
1. The location of the transfer station for receiving food waste was still be advised by the County Council. The details would need to be finalised by December 2024 for commencement of the service in March 2025. There were currently 2 food waste plants and 4 transfer stations within the Ashfield District.
2. Commercial waste collection was currently facilitated by the Council but outside services could be utilised, if required. All organisations would need to be compliant and have the necessary duty of care arrangements in place.
3. The requirements for residents to comply with the waste separation arrangements and powers to issue fixed penalties and instigate court action should enforcement be required for continued non-compliance.
4. An education and support approach to remain the priority for ensuring residents separate their waste correctly following introduction of the new arrangements.
5. An acknowledgement by officers that the new Labour Government might make some further changes to the ‘Simpler Recycling regulations and the timetables for implementation, with updates awaited to that effect.
6. Additional support to be offered to residents in the Council’s sheltered courts to ensure their waste is separated correctly with prevention measures in place to mitigate the risk of communal cross contamination.
7. Work was due to commence to update the Council’s Waste Strategy which hadn’t been reviewed since 2017.
To conclude Members were advised that a lot of questions needed to be answered over the coming months to ensure the Council delivered its ‘Simpler Recycling’ project’s established phases and gateways in a timely manner. The work undertaken would also ensure the Council would meet its statutory deadline, not only its own compliance but also that of local businesses and organisations within the District.
RESOLVED
that the following be received and noted:
a) the Government’s legislation for major reforms to domestic and commercial waste collection and packaging, requiring councils to align their waste and recycling services with the new ‘Simpler Recycling’ requirements;
b) the recent Government allocation of £895,526 capital funding to the Council, in support of the introduction of weekly domestic food waste collections by October 2027;
c) the intention of officers to develop a Costed Action & Delivery Plan (CADP) for the introduction of ‘Simpler Recycling’ by April 2026 and the weekly domestic food waste collection service by October 2027;
d) the CADP document to be presented to Committee in October 2024 for consideration;
e) development of a separate business case and project to enable the Council to comply with the legislation as an employer of ten or more employees, along with the introduction of a commercial food waste collection service by March 2025, which will enhance the current commercial waste collection offer by the Council.
Supporting documents: