Glenrothes Area Committee
Date: 7th April 2010
Agenda Item No:
Recycling Adviser Intervention Programme
Report by: Head of Environmental Services
Wards Affected: 15
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to update the Area Committee regarding a Recycling
Adviser Intervention programme which took place in the Balgeddie/Collydean area
of Glenrothes between 28/05/09 and 02/07/09.
Recommendation(s)
To carry out further Recycling Adviser Intervention programmes, using a revised
structure and where resources allow, with the aim of increasing the tonnage of
material captured for recycling while reducing the tonnage of waste being sent to
landfill.
Resource Implications
Budget has been identified from the Zero Waste Programme.
Legal & Risk Implications
There are no known legal and risk implications.
Policy & Impact Assessment
The recommendations contained within this report are consistent with the Council's
Zero Waste to Landfill Policy and the Big 8 objectives of becoming the Leading
Green Council and a Top Performing Council.
Consultation
Local members were briefed at the start of the programme.
1.0 Background
1.1
Interim landfill reduction targets have been established as part of Fife
Council’s Zero Waste Plan, the aim of which is to landfill zero municipal solid
waste collected by Fife Council or on its behalf by 2020 (Appendix 1).
1.2
Recycling Adviser Intervention programmes have been introduced with the
aim of increasing Fife Council’s recycling and composting rate while diverting
waste from landfill.
2.0 Programme Outline and Outcomes
2.1
Recycling capture rates for all paper/cardboard collection routes were
calculated to identify routes with low rates and which would benefit from a
Recycling Adviser Intervention programme. The collection route for the
Balgeddie/Collydean areas of Glenrothes (Appendix 2) was identified as
having a very low capture rate for paper/cardboard recycling.
2.2
The programme involved monitoring a landfill bin collection and a
paper/cardboard bin collection before and after a period of Intervention
(Appendix 3) to identify set-out rates for the collection route. During the
Intervention period Recycling Advisers carried out intensive door-knocking to
households to promote both the kerbside paper/cardboard collection as well
as local Recycling Points (Appendix 3). A jute bag for storing recyclates to
take to Recycling Points was offered to residents and a calling card was left if
householders were out.
2.3
The following results have been achieved:

increase in paper/cardboard recycling capture rate from 61.7% to
67.3%

increase in set-out rate of paper/cardboard bin from 39.7% to 45.6%

decrease in the amount of recyclates in the landfill bins analysed
(Appendix 4).
3.0 Future Proposals
3.1
As a result of the success of the Recycling Adviser Intervention programme
undertaken in the Balgeddie/Collydean area of Glenrothes, it is proposed that
further Intervention programmes are carried out, however it is proposed that
these should follow a revised structure (Appendix 5).
3.2
The revised structure incorporates the monitoring of two paper/cardboard
collections both before and after the period of Intervention to ensure that
householders presenting their blue bin once a month are included in set-out
results. This compares with the timeline used for the Intervention undertaken
in Balgeddie/Collydean (Appendix 3).
3.3
This structure also includes a longer Intervention period to allow an
increased number of doorstep visits to be carried out by Recycling Advisers.
Advisers are also varying the times they carry out the household visits. They
now work until 6.00pm during the winter months and 7.00pm in the summer
to increase the opportunities of speaking to householders that may not be
available during the day.
3.4
The monitoring of the landfill bin during the Intervention programme was
highlighted as not being necessary as almost all householders present a
landfill bin for collection on a fortnightly basis. Therefore the monitoring of
the landfill bin has been removed from the revised structure.
List of Appendices
1. Zero Waste Targets
2. Collection Route
2. Timeline and Communication
3. Waste Analysis Results
4. Revised Intervention Structure
Report Contact
Lorna Johnstone
Technical Officer (Zero Waste)
Kingdom House, Glenrothes
Telephone: 08451 55 55 55 446927
Email – lorna.johnstone@fife.gov.uk
Appendix 1- Zero Waste Targets
1.1 Scottish Government Targets
Year
Target
2010
40% Recycling/Composting of MSW
2013
50% Recycling/Composting of MSW
2020
60% Recycling/Composting of MSW
2025
70% Recycling/Composting of MSW
Maximum 25% MSW subjected to Thermal Treatment
Maximum of 5% of MSW to Landfill
1.2 Fife Council Targets
Year
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
2017/18
2020
Target

45% Recycling and Composting of MSW

47% Recycling and Composting of MSW

51.5% Recycling and Composting of MSW

54% Recycling and Composting of MSW

56% Recycling and Composting of MSW

58% Recycling and Composting of MSW

60% Recycling and Composting of MSW




60% Recycling and Composting of MSW
Treatment of 25% of Unsorted MSW
Minimum 60% Recycling and Composting of MSW
Maximum 25% Thermal Treatment of Unsorted
MSW
Other Treatment for Remaining Waste
Zero MSW to Landfill


Appendix 2 – Collection Route
Aboyne Way
Heather Court
Alwyn Green
Heather Path
Ardoch Park
Heimdal Gardens
Argyll Place
Kintail Court
Atholl Way
Kintore Park
Balgeddie Close
Lennox Court
Balgeddie Court
Lochaber Court
Balgeddie Grove
Magnus Drive
Balgeddie Park
Meldrum Court
Balgeddie Way
Methlick Brae
Ballater Green
Montrose Green
Ballingall Drive
Morven Park
Ballingall Park
Murchiston Court
Banchory Green
Murchiston Path
Brae Court
Netherby Park
Breadalbane Crescent
Pennan Place
Brent Place
Piper Drive
Bucksburn Park
Pitmedden Loan
Cardean Way
Rockfield Gardens
Claymore Court
Skene Court
Claymore Drive
Tarland Knowe
Claymore Path
Tarves Place
Cowal Crescent
Tern Court
Culdees Avenue
Tern Path
Dunecht Court
The Secret Garden
DunlinAvenue
Thistle Drive
Dyce Way
Torphins avenue
Ellon Park
Turriff Brae
Errol Gardens
Tweedsmuir Court
Elrick Park
Wilmington Drive
Glenmore Court
Appendix 3 – Timeline and Communication
3.1 Timeline
Week
Activity
Date
1
monitoring – landfill bin
28/05/09
2
monitoring – paper/cardboard bin
04/06/09
3–4
intervention work
05/06/09 – 24/06/09
5
monitoring – landfill bin
25/06/09
6
monitoring – paper/cardboard bin
02/07/09
3.2 Communication
Communication
No. of properties
Percentage of properties
doorstep visit
546
37
letter
835
57
call-backs
13
1
n/a (flatted properties)
70
5
Appendix 4 – Waste Analysis Results
4.1 Waste Analysis
Balgeddie Waste Analysis - Landfill Bin
14.00
12.00
% of Landfill Bin
10.00
8.00
Pre Intervention
Post Intervention
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
Paper
Cardboard
Plastic bottles
Glass
Recyclate
Cans
Textiles
Garden Waste
Appendix 5 – Revised Intervention Structure
5.1 Revised Structure
Week
Activity
1
pre Intervention monitoring (i) – paper/cardboard bin
2
-
3
pre Intervention monitoring (ii) – paper/cardboard bin
4
Intervention
5
Intervention
6
Intervention
7
Intervention
8
-
9
-
10
post Intervention monitoring (i) – paper/cardboard bin
11
-
12
post Intervention monitoring (ii) – paper/cardboard bin