Agenda item

Report Attached.

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Councillor Paul Cox) submitted a report to advise Members on the implications of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, (amended 2012) and the outcome of the Technically Environmentally, and Economically Practicable, (TEEP) test on the Council’s new collection arrangements for certain recyclable materials (paper and card, glass, metals and plastics). 

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 (Amended 2012) are designed to implement the requirements of the EU Waste Framework Directive, Article 4, which relates to the handling and processing of certain recyclable materials. The aim is to ensure that materials collected as recyclables are recycled and not disposed of in another way. The Directive is therefore concerned with the quality of materials collected and the ability of material reprocessors to sort materials and provide high quality materials for subsequent closed loop recycling.

Waste Collection Authorities will need to consider their collection arrangements against these requirements. The regulations do not prohibit commingled collections, rather they establish separate collections as the default position and it is for the WCAs to demonstrate that separate collections are not necessary or practicable.

The regulations are about improving the quantity and quality of the material collected and the ability of reprocessors to sort materials and provide high quality materials for closed loop recycling.

If separate collection of a material fails any one of the technically, environmentally and economically practicable tests then it will be deemed to not have met the Practicability (TEEP) Test.  The Council has substantially changed its method of collecting domestic recycling and undertaken a new TEEP assessment.  A review of the Council’s waste collection arrangements has therefore been undertaken by the Head of Environmental Services applying the Route Map.

Alternative Options Considered and Reasons for Rejection

Around 10 different collection methods were proposed and evaluated. All were rejected due to issues around vehicle sizes, cost of providing additional containers and the number of vehicles/crew members required for each option. However, the two stream recycling collection model utilising wheeled bins; maintains the existing alternate weekly collections calendar, (i.e. recycling week 1, residual week 2, recycling week 3 residual week 4 and so on), allows for a reduced standardised Refuse Compaction Vehicle fleet and simplifies recycling for residents. Overall, this option was considered the best and widely supported by Cabinet members and Officers.

Due to the Council’s financial pressures, it was not economically practical to maintain the ‘status quo’ of utilising bags and boxes. Moving to a two stream recycling collection method provided substantial financial savings on vehicles, the requirement for a third recycling wheeled bin and staff costs.

Whilst not part of the Necessity and Technically, Environmentally and Economically Practicable, (TEEP) assessments, evidence from other WCAs which moved from bags and boxes to wheeled bins, suggests an increase in capture rates which would also suggest an increase in the recycling rate. The removal of bags and boxes will also lead to a significantly improvement in the cleanliness of the environment as there will be very little wind-blown litter.

Resolved                           (1)   That the outcome of the Necessity and Technically, Environmentally and Economically Practicable, (TEEP) assessments, carried out on the Council’s revised recycling collection arrangements that were implemented in July 2018 be endorsed; and

                                (2)   That the Head of Environmental Services in consultation with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services and the Head of Legal Services be authorised to sign off the new assessment document, in line with best practice guidance as per item 3.5 (WRAP’s Route Map).