To receive a verbal update on performance changes since the introduction of fortnightly bin collection.

The Chairman said that, mindful of performance information reported to Cabinet on 10 June 2015, it would be helpful for the committee to receive an update on the Waste Management Service and the Waste Disposal Team Leader (subsequently ‘team leader’) was invited to give a presentation.

The principal points of the presentation (in italics) and discussion are provided below.

Waste Collection New Service

1.           In November 2014 the council commenced an alternate weekly refuse and recycling collection service (AWC)

2.           Green wheeled bin for recycling and a black bin for general rubbish collected fortnightly on alternate weeks

3.           Introduced to save £0.5 million per year, reduce general rubbish and increase recycling

Performance Improvement

4.           Average monthly general waste: prior to AWC 3,838 tonnes; after AWC 3,545 tonnes; difference - 293 tonnes

5.           Average monthly kerbside recycling: prior to AWC 1430 tonnes; after AWC 1,551 tonnes; difference + 121 tonnes

6.           Dry recycling %: prior to AWC 28.26%; after AWC 33.60%; difference + 5.34%

7.           Estimated recycling and composting rate: prior to AWC 40%; after AWC 42%; difference + 2% (estimated)

Summary

8.           Move to Alternate Weekly Collection has done what we wanted it to do: save £0.5 million per annum; reduced amount of general (residual) waste; and increased recycling

The team leader said that, although data was only available for a six month period, the performance indicators were encouraging and demonstrated that lower levels of general waste were being collected and higher levels of recycling were being achieved, from already good levels compared to other areas.  It was noted that this had offset recent changes to the treatment of wood waste.

The team leader responded to a number of questions from committee members:

i.             It was likely that AWC had reduced the amount of trade waste entering the system and that households were reusing, donating and compositing more materials than before.  The Chairman noted that the simplicity of the AWC arrangements made recycling easier to achieve than in some other areas of the country, where residents had to separate materials themselves.

ii.            From discussions with street cleansing and enforcement personnel and evidence from tonnage records, it did not appear that AWC had resulted in a discernible increase in levels of fly-tipping to date.

iii.          A main focus for the service in the current year was on communal properties, in terms of containment options and improving levels of recycling.

iv.          All waste was weighed, so the authority could have confidence in the data collected.

v.           Leaflets to explain AWC arrangements were available in the principal languages spoken in Herefordshire.

vi.          Members were invited to contact the service about opportunities to improve collection arrangements for residents locally.

vii.         There was an ongoing programme for bin swap requests and replacements for damaged units.  It was noted that black sacks would continue to be a feature for some residents, particularly for flats and communal developments.

viii.       Bags of rubbish left by the side of public litter bins were regularly inspected to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19