Ministerial Waste Summit
3rd October
Recycling and Composting
Workshop
Recycling and Composting (Municipal Waste)
Facilitator :
Scribe :
Eleanor Strain (SEPA), Rebecca Walker (SEPA)
Maureen McEwan (SEPA), Yvonne Rollins (Scottish Govt.)
Question : What more can be done on recycling and composting of
municipal waste to optimise longer term performance?
The points made at the workshop are outlined below.
1.0 MARKETS
1.1 Consortium working
- local authorities should work together to negotiate better price for recyclate and secure
best value
- Scottish Government to drive Local Authority Consortium working at a national level
1.2 Plastics
 Develop more local markets for wider range of plastics eg. yogurt pots, butter containers
etc
 Creation of national plastic cracking facility funded by Scottish Government
1.3 Establish national campaign to return packaging to retailer – would hit at ‘source’ and increase
consumer pressure on manufacturers to change design / packaging.
1.4 Close the loop
- Need to increase demand for recyclable materials to secure markets.
- Stimulate manufacturers to use recyclate in products
- Market needs to be confident in longer term availability of materials to establish secure
longer term, stable markets.
- Contracts to stipulate recycled content / use of recyclable materials
1.5 Increase producer responsibility.
1.6 Develop waste compost markets, and demand for PAS 100 standard composts
1.7 Identify new market opportunities and barriers to developing new markets
2.0 SUPPORTING PARTICIPATION
2.1 Introduce incentives for householders.
2.2 National support for alternate weekly collection of residual waste from Scottish Government
- political leadership
- rebrand to a more positive term (alternate weekly collection suggests a reduction in
service)
2.3 Support from Scottish Government on decisions taken by LAs, eg. Alternate Weekly
Collections (also ref above).
2.4 User friendly containers
- clear recycling information on label, able to dis-assemble composite plastics.
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Ministerial Waste Summit
3rd October
Recycling and Composting
Workshop
2.5 Campaigns
- Should reinforce local messages.
better links and planning of national campaigns and local campaigns
- Resource efficiency campaigns
- National campaign on packaging – take back schemes
- National campaign could be undertaken now that kerbside recycling infrastructure is
largely in place.
- Alternate Weekly collection benefits to counter negative media
- Where public can find recycling facilities requires better promotion (local, national)
- Material specific campaigns
- Community champions e.g. Plastic Bag Free towns
2.6 Better use of incentives
- eg. free tickets for local sports centres etc.
- payment of recycling credits for third party recyclers
2.7 Better use of current regulatory powers to encourage participation in recycling
- Better use of section 46 powers, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, with regard
to householders using the wrong receptacles.
- Identify what powers Scottish Government have and what powers Local Authorities have
2.8 Promote consumer information on the real cost of infrastructure  increase producer
responsibility.
2.9 Increase producer/retailer responsibility for recycling education, as they are the main source
of difficult / composite packaging waste
2.10 Reduce/eliminate roadside/lay-by bins – encourage public to take home waste where it
can be separated for recycling & not abused by commercial waste producers.
2.11 Current collection driven by Local Authority operating practices – not consumer
convenience. This needs to be reversed.
2.12
School education is important to change behaviour, practice and attitudes
2.13 Increase effectiveness of fiscal measures, particularly producer responsibility – retail
packaging & variable charging.
2.14
Improve waste management staff awareness and improve service provided to the public
2.15 Recycling advisers for face to face contact to improve householder awareness and
provision of information/advice
2.16 Monthly reporting of recycling
recycling/composting performance.
figures
should
encourage
increasing
the
3.0 COLLECTION / RECOVERY OF MATERIALS
3.1 Food waste collection in rural areas
3.2 Increased separation at transfer stations – potential increase in efficiency rates & material
extraction through line pickers.
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Ministerial Waste Summit
3rd October
Recycling and Composting
Workshop
3.3 Opportunities to recover additional recyclate through the physical treatment of residual
collected waste (carbon footprint consideration)
3.4 Better segregation / separation of recyclable wastes in rural areas – consider emerging
technologies
3.5 Optimisation of existing collection services – increase participation, capture rates of materials
etc
3.6 Develop rural anaerobic digestion/composting facilities that could also treat commercial /
Local Authority waste which is biodegradable
3.7 Flatted properties
- Dedicated communal recycling receptacles for flatted premises.
- Improve recycling services and access to recycling containers
3.8 Review procedures/processes that drive Local Authority refuse collection.
3.9 Recycling Centres
- Greater access to recycling centres and more material collected from householders.
- Improve Recycling Centres – v. effective for cost spend.
- More community recycling centres (e.g. mini recycling points in rural areas) and extend
opening hours
- Improve layout of recycling centres
3.10
-
Community Sector
Encourage recycling / reuse initiatives utilising community groups for larger items, eg.
furniture.
More Service Level Agreements with community sector organisations to collect
recyclables / compost bio waste.
3.11 Home composting – regulatory change needed so that it can be counted towards Landfill
Allowance Scheme targets and Local Authorities aren’t penalised for preventing this waste
entering the waste stream
3.12
Back hauling on deliveries to commercial premises
3.13 Develop standard methodology for measuring recycling/composting – to allow for
international comparisons. At the moment, we are comparing with European partners whose
definition of municipal waste is different.
3.14 Establish what collection methods are acceptable to citizens so as not to discourage
participation and make it as easy as possible for them to recycle.
4.0 WASTE TYPES
4.1 Increase range of recyclate collected from 8 to 15 categories
4.2 Improve consistency across Local Authorities in terms of bin colours and range of recyclates
collected
4.3 More work on specific waste types such as :
- Packaging
- Food waste – planning and market issues need to be resolved
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Ministerial Waste Summit
3rd October
Recycling and Composting
Workshop
4.5 Improve measurement / monitoring of performance of recycling schemes and specific waste
materials
4.6 Waste compositional analysis
- conducted nationally with consistent methodology to allow for a structured / informed
approach which can identify next big hit.
- Need to improve understanding of the component parts of the waste stream rather than
assuming standard compositions. Variances in waste types arising in different areas
4.7 Consider what more we can do with what we are collecting now.
4.8 Compostable Wastes :
- Too focused on composting when stockpiling taking place
- Ban garden waste collections by LAs
4.9 There is an obligation on local authorities to collect commercial waste; however infractions
could result.
5.0 ADDITIONAL ISSUES
5.1 Central physical treatment in big hit areas
5.2 Landfill Allowance Scheme
- Abolition of Landfill Allowance Scheme to free up council resources that are lost through
fines.
- Clarification on Landfill Allowance Scheme trading to aid the transitional period whilst
infrastructure is set up as some local authorities are receiving funding sooner than others.
- Meeting diversion targets should be regarded as a national issue.
- Shift Landfill Allowance Scheme responsibilities to landfill operators
5.3 Tougher penalties for Local Authority failing targets (some Local Authorities see this as a key
driver) – Landfill Allowance Scheme targets and Recycling/Composting targets
5.4 Need a clear framework and infrastructure to push activities.
5.5 Equal playing field / SWF funding
- timing of funding being granted plays part in the recycling % achieved and infrastructure
put in place
5.6 Carbon Target implications – need to be a key consideration in future decisions
5.7 Strengthen Building Control enforcement to ensure recycling facilities are provided in all new
developments
5.8 Prioritise according to Best Value
5.9 Best Practice Review. Identify excellent performers in terms of amount recycled + costs of
delivery (both operational and supporting). Look at scheme type + how they have been
delivered.
5.10 Co-ordinated policy – decide why we are doing what we’re doing – tonnages / environment
/ climate change / statutory requirement
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Ministerial Waste Summit
3rd October
Recycling and Composting
Workshop
5.11
National requirement for public agencies to buy recycled products
5.12
Focus on who has responsibility for what and target actions accordingly
5.13
Remote / Rural areas require locally specific solutions. Different from urban areas.
5.14
Local Authorities to maintain control of waste management services.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
November 2007
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