* PART 1 – PUBLIC DOCUMENT
AGENDA ITEM No.
9
TITLE OF REPORT: WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICES
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF LEISURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
PORTFOLIO HOLDER: COUNCILLOR P.C.W. BURT
1.
SUMMARY
1.1
To consider and report to Cabinet the motion of Council stated in para 3.1 taking
into account the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership (HWP) Agreement and the HWP
Strategy as well as implication on our contract and future countywide waste
developments
2.
FORWARD PLAN
2.1
This report contains a recommendation on a key decision that was first notified to
the public in the Forward Plan on the 1st May 2011
3.
BACKGROUND
3.1
At Full Council on the 7th April 2011 the following motion was carried
100.
NOTICE OF MOTIONS
Kerbside Recycling of Plastics
Due notice having been given in accordance with Standing Order 11.1, it was
moved by Councillor David Billing, and seconded by Councillor Deepak Sangha,
“That given the opportunities for shared services in the Hertfordshire Waste
Partnership Agreement, recently approved by the Cabinet, a full report should be
brought to the Cabinet on the feasibility of using such shared services to introduce
as soon as possible a kerbside collection of recyclable plastics in North
Hertfordshire, as is already done by eight of the Hertfordshire District and Borough
Councils."
3.2
The Herts Waste Partnership (HWP) Agreement when finally agreed and signed by
all parties formalises collaborative working arrangements already in place. In
addition, there is a study being undertaken to consider future working arrangements
between all parties, to identify potential savings.
3.3
The HWP have worked together to achieve the targets set within the Herts. Joint
Municipal Waste Management Strategy (HJMWMS) and demonstrated year on year
continuous improvement. The HWP have provided value for money developments
and made savings that is anticipated to exceed £3.2m in 11/12.
3.4
North Hertfordshire District Council for many years has been very successful in
introducing new waste services to improve performance, whilst controlling the ever
increasing cost of waste. We continue to be one of the highest performing waste
collection authorities in the country and led on many changes that others have
followed, in 2010/11 our recycling performance was >50%.
CABINET (26.7.11)
3.5
NHDC recently undertook a waste composition analysis of domestic waste, the
findings are being used by the HWP and at its meeting on the18th April,
extrapolated these findings for the HWP to consider its future targets as part of
HJMWMS review. Food waste was of particular importance.
3.6
The following diagram depicts the composition
Herts:
of domestic waste within North
The 2010 NHDC composition analysis
shows that there is approx a third that is
food waste which is being landfilled. Bio
degradable waste of this nature is the
most harmful to our environment and
impacts on climate change. This material
should not be landfilled and needs the
highest priority in terms of diverting this
waste from landfill as well as
consideration to promoting
the Love
Food, Hate Waste Campaign, to
encourage not creating the waste in the
first instance.
3.7
Further consideration of the NHDC composition analysis was considered and
extrapolated estimates produced for the HWP. At its meeting on the 18th April 2011
the following recommendations were made:a. To set a 60% recycling target by 2020, subject to the further work to assess how
this might be achieved.
b. To endorse the recommendation to continue with the current landfill diversion
targets as previously agreed.
c. To set a residual waste target of 220kgs per head by 2020, subject to the further
work to assess how this might be achieved.
CABINET (26.7.11)
3.8
To achieve the 60% target the following table sign posts areas of investment to achieve
this:
Note: the above list does not include plastics
Source:(http://www.wasteaware.org.uk/strategy/wpmeetings.cfm)
CABINET (26.7.11)
4.
CONSIDERATIONS
4.1.
The HWP are not currently operating shared services but have been very
successful as a partnership in developing consortium arrangements that has made
substantial savings for members of the Partnership, particularly regarding dry
recyclates. There are further opportunities that are currently being investigated and
for North Herts., the most likely joint venture in the short to medium term will be
working towards a Northern transfer station that could offer a wide range of
services including the amalgamation of our current depot in Icknield way, the
Radwell site for recyclates and the Burymead Road transfer station for landfill
materials. The timeline for such a facility could be as early as 2014 but needs to be
in place by no later than the new Energy From Waste (EFW) disposal facilities
which is planned to be operational in March 2016, this will be dependant on robust
business case that meets all parties requirements and all appropriate approvals
including planning. There will be further work required on developing joint
procurement initiatives with the HWP and a report on the strategic opportunities
and possible savings will be considered by the HWP later this year.
4.2.
The current waste and street cleansing contracts have been extended to co-incide
with these major changes to allow this Council to consider its options in making any
major changes to its collection services
4.3.
The cost of introducing kerbside collection of plastics part way through an existing
contract is operationally and financially difficult. The main issue is not so much with
changes to vehicles and the rounds, but with sufficient storage facilities for plastics
collected, the current storage facilities at Radwell is not currently capable of
managing this volume of material and would be time consuming, potentially costly
to modify and would require appropriate permissions. The most appropriate time to
consider this change will be when the current contract is renewed in line with the
new waste disposal facilities being provided by HCC and the Northern transfer
Station mentioned in 4.1.
4.4.
The current plastics bring banks contract is due for renewal by April 2012, the
current contract as been more successful than we originally envisaged, bring banks
were chosen over kerbside collection due the significant differences in costs.
Although, it is recognised that our residents would prefer kerbside collection of
plastics (Source: 2008 BMG NHDC District Wide Survey) it must be noted that
financial and environmental implications were not provided when the survey as
carried out.
4.5.
The following table shows we currently collect by bring bank approx 65% of
currently viably recycled plastics, although we actually recycle approximately 27%
of the total plastics in our waste stream.
All Plastics in tonnes
Plastic Bottles, Tetrapacs, recyclable
Other not easily recycled plastics
Total Plastics
Cost
Recycled
550
550
£150k
Landfilled
299*
1157
1456
£116k
Total
849
1157
2006
*see detailed costs for recycling this material in para 6.3
Source 2010 NHDC Composition Analysis and bring bank data
As technology improves and there are new markets produced for this recycled
material, the business case to recycle more plastics will develop.
4.6.
Local collection authorities in the UK have different collection methods for plastics,
248 use bring banks, whilst 360 operate kerbside collection
(source: Recoup, UK, household plastics packaging collection survey 2010)
CABINET (26.7.11)
4.7.
In terms of the impact on North Herts. Carbon footprint ;4.7.1. Current Bring Banks 136 tonnes p.a
4.7.2. Kerbside collection 194 tonnes p.a
source; www.which.co.uk/environment-and-saving-energy/environment-and-greener-living/quid
For the limited tonnage of plastics collected the carbon footprint is high
4.8.
NHDC provides two 240 litre wheelie bins and two 50 litre boxes for dry recyclates,
a recent report by WRAP (Waste Resource Action Programme – Govt funded)
recognised that too many receptacles hindered rather than assisted participation in
recycling. We need to be mindful that we currently provide four and anymore could
meet with customer resistance.
4.9.
NHDC 2010 composition analysis of its municipal waste and the HWP strategic
priorities mentioned in para 3.8 and highlight the distinct environmental benefits of
recycling and reducing our food waste sent to landfill over that of kerbside
collection of plastics. Taking into consideration there is still over 8,000 tonnes of
North Herts. food waste going to landfill, diverting less than 300 tonnes of plastics
will meet fewer of our strategic objectives from and environmental and financial
perspective
4.10.
This Council’s financial and strategic objectives for waste over recent years have
been met, with the aim of improving on our recycling targets (50% by 2012
achieved in 2009) and reducing our kg per head of population (waste prevention),
whilst ensuring the ever increasing costs for waste is controlled and minimised.
4.11.
On the 28th April 2011 the County Council announced that Veolia Environmental
Services Aurora Ltd had been appointed as the preferred bidder for the new
residual waste treatment facility that will located at the New Barnfield site, south of
Hatfield. The facility will include an energy from waste plant which will also offer a
pre-treatment facility that is envisaged to remove a further 3% of the residual waste
for recycling, it appears this will include removing recyclable metals and plastics.
This facility should be operational by March 2016.
4.12.
Whilst it is acknowledged that many council’s locally are now offering kerbside
collection of plastics, which has normally been part of a major change in service,
either by introducing AWC &/or contract change and vehicle renewal, the HWP
have identified the future development opportunities that are outlined in the table
shown in para 3.8, which does not prioritise plastics
4.13.
The recent Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011 was launched on
the 14th June it confirms the governments commitment to being the greenest
government ever. Its principle commitments supports reducing the carbon impact of
waste, encourage waste prevention and re-use supporting greater resource
efficiency, improving the quality of recycled material, support energy from waste for
materials that cannot be recycled and make it easier to recycle. This review will be
a focus for the HWP to review its own strategy.
4.14.
To summarise, the HWP priorities (3.8), recent government waste review (4.13)
and NHDC composition analysis (3.6) focuses the importance on diverting and
reducing the amount of food waste that goes to landfill. Para’s 4.5 & 4.9 indicates
that for NHDC there is less than 300 tonnes of plastics and more than 8,000 tonnes
of food per annum that could be recycled that is currently being landfilled. The time
for major change will be in line with the new EFW facilities being developed,
renewal of our waste contract (2016) and the possible new waste transfer station
(4.1 & 4.2). Therefore, NHDC should focus on food not plastics and for Project
Board for waste to concentrate its efforts on working with HCC to develop a
northern transfer Station and to focus on recycling materials identified in para 3.8
CABINET (26.7.11)
5.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
5.1
Cabinet’s terms of reference include “to prepare and agree to implement policies
and strategies other than those reserved to Council” and “to oversee the provision of
all the Council’s services other than those functions reserved to the Council”.
5.2
There are no specific legal implications arising from the report. As the various
proposals outlined in the report come forward Legal Services will provide advice
where required to ensure the Council’s interests are protected, for example in
contractual arrangements.
6.
FINANCIAL AND RISK IMPLICATIONS
6.1
There has been and continues to be significant financial, operational and reputation
risks to the authority in terms of waste collection. However, this Council’s
commitment to waste services and working with its partners within the Hertfordshire
Waste Partnership and its contractor Veolia has helped to mitigate many of these
risks.
6.2
Due to the current financial position of the Council, consideration should be given to
improving income from waste to offset any additional costs associated with new non
profitable opportunities, that help us achieve the new targets stated in para 3.7 &
3.8.
6.3
The cost of introducing kerbside collection of plastics would be:-
Resources
Staffing and vehicles
Receptacles – Wheelie bin
2 Bags
Storage Facilities – Using Radwell (best case)
Purchasing New Facility
Total using Radwell (Best Case)
Cost
£270k Revenue annual
£1,600k
£100k
£100k
Unknown but potentially high cost (Rev & Cap)
Capital £200k - £1,700k
Revenue £270k p.a.
6.4
The current waste contract is for a minimum of 3 yrs max of 5ys, (2014 - 2017)
depreciating the capital investment over this period could have significant financial
implications to this Council.
7.
HUMAN RESOURCE AND EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
7.1
This report as no HR & Equality implications
7.
CONSULTATION WITH EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS AND WARD MEMBERS
7.1
This Council’s composition analysis helped the HWP to discuss and agree the
targets and development opportunities stated in para 3.7 & 3.8.
7.2
Full Council at its meeting on the 18th April 2011 considered and agreed the motion
stated in para 3.1.
7.3
Discussions have taken place with the HWP Project Manager and HCC officers
responsible for Waste disposal
CABINET (26.7.11)
8.
RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1
That kerbside collection of plastics is not further explored unless technology and/or
markets change that enable more plastics to be recycled more efficiently and
effectively.
8.2
For the Waste Project Board to consider other opportunities for changes to material
collection services as described in the table in para 3.8 and for any proposals to be
discussed with the HWP
8.3
For officers of HCC & ourselves to consider developing a suitable waste site as
described in para 4.1.
9.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
9.1
To ensure we meet with agreed targets set by the HWP and continue to provide
VFM service for the residents of North Hertfordshire
10.
APPENDICES
10.1
None.
11.
CONTACT OFFICERS
Author
11.1 Vaughan Watson
Head of Leisure & Environment
01462 474641
Vaughan.watson@north-herts.gov.uk
Contributors
Daniel Kingsley
Waste & Recycling Manager
01462 474304
Daniel.kingsley@north-herts.gov.uk
John Robinson
Strategic Director Customer Service
01462 474655
John.robinson@north-herts.gov.uk
Anthony Roche
Senior Lawyer
01462 474588
anthony.roche@north-herts.gov.uk
Tim Neill
Accountancy Manager
01462 474461
Tim.neil@north-herts.gov.uk
Kerry Shorrocks
Corporate Human Resources Manager
01462 474224
Kerry.shorocks@north-herts.gov.uk
12.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
HWP Agreement
Herts Joint Municipal Waste Strategy 2007
Government June11 Review on Waste
2008 NHDC Districtwide survey
CABINET (26.7.11)