AGENDA ITEM NO. 7
1.
REPORT TO:
Executive Board
REPORT NO:
CEnO/14/09
DATE:
2 June 2009
LEAD MEMBER:
Councillor David A Bithell
(Environment and Transport)
LEAD OFFICER:
Chief Environment Officer
CONTACT OFFICER:
Sarah Barton (Tel:297081)
SUBJECT:
Payment of re-use credits to furniture
re-use projects
WARD:
All
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To update Members on Wrexham County Borough Council’s furniture
re-use proposals.
2.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.1
At present Wrexham County Borough Council only pays recycling
credits to organisations that recycle paper.
2.2
The Welsh Assembly Government is currently encouraging Local
Authorities in Wales to develop “re-use projects” to support the upper
elements of Wales’ waste strategy.
2.3
There are currently no furniture re-use projects within Wrexham County
Borough, however the Council is aware of organisations within
Wrexham that are re-using furniture who could be eligible for re-use
credits. By entering into a partnership with these organisations to reuse furniture it would not only benefit the Council in regard to its
recycling rate, but also assist charitable organisations with their running
costs and help hard pressed families.
2
3.
RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1
That Members consider the report and support a trial of the
furniture re-use operation for 12 months subject to a further
review.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
To collect the tonnage data resulting from the reuse activities to include in
Waste Data Flow to count towards Wrexham’s Recycling and Composting
rate.
John Bradbury
Chief Environment Officer
4.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
4.1
The Council is aware of six organisations in Wrexham that are re-using
furniture and who could be eligible for re-use credits. A list of current
organisations is attached in Appendix 1. These credits would be
funded from the Council’s Strategic Waste Management Grant.
4.2
The Council’s Recycling Officers have been researching the possibility
of the Council entering into a partnership with suitable qualified
organisations. By entering into a partnership with these organisations
to re-use furniture would not only benefit the Council in regard to its
recycling rate, but also assist charitable organisations with their running
costs and help hard pressed families.
4.3
It is suggested that an eligible organisation could be offered a flat fee of
£250 per half year for an initial 12 month trial period. In return, the
charitable re-use group would be expected to provide Wrexham
Council with the appropriate data on furniture collected and delivered to
homes within Wrexham County Borough. After the 12 month trial
Recycling Officers would be able to calculate the total quantity of
materials being reused and whether it would be viable to pay the
organisations per tonne for the furniture collected rather than a flat fee.
A strict audit trail would be enforced and organisations would be
required to register with the Environment Department, apply for the
appropriate licence and adhere to the criteria set out in the re-use
policy, see Appendix 2 attached.
4.4
Recycling Officers will ensure monitoring of furniture weights is carried
out in accordance with the guidelines of the Welsh Assembly
Government, the Environment Agency and Furniture Recycling
Network.
3
4.5
Members should be aware that the percentage increase of recycling
would be minimal but the principal of the waste hierarchy, as well as
the social benefits, identify the need to consider this initiative.
Each of the furniture reuse organisations listed in appendix 1 would be
contacted and invited to join the scheme. In addition the scheme would
be publicised through press releases and advertised at the Household
Waste Recycling Centres.
4.6
The concept of paying reuse credits supports the 2009/10 Corporate
Priority of ‘Reducing carbon emissions and energy use’.
5.
CONSULTATION
5.1
The Lead Member for Environment and Transport has been consulted
on the proposals outlined in the report.
6.
SCRUTINY COMMITTEE COMMENTS
6.1
A report was submitted to the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny
Committee on 22 April 2009 who made the following recommendation:“That the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee supports
a 12 months trial”.
7
IMPLICATIONS
7.1
Policy Framework - The proposal is consistent with the Council’s
Waste Strategy.
7.2
Budget - The funding of this scheme will cost approximately £3,000
and will come from the Council’s Sustainable Waste Management
Grant.
7.3
Legal - N/A
7.3
Staffing - There are no staffing implications arising as a result of this
report.
7.4
Equalities/Diversity – N/A
BACKGROUND PAPERS
None
LOCATION
WEBSITE INFO.
4
Appendix 1
Current Organisations Re-using Furniture

British Heart Foundation, 5-7 Rhosddu Road, Wrexham

Capricorn Animal Rescue, Chester Street, Wrexham

New 2 You, Queensway, Wrexham, LL13 8UN

Nightingale House Furniture Re-use, Rhosnesni Lane, Wrexham

Second Circle, Unit 8 Aerial Road, Llay Industrial Estate, Llay,
Wrexham, LL12 0TH

YMCA, Unit 11, Henblas Street, Wrexham, LL13 8AD
5
Appendix 2
POLICY ON THE PAYMENT OF
REUSE AND RECYCLING CREDITS
The Authority has agreed to pay third party re-use and recycling credits
subject to the following conditions:1
Only household goods re-used are eligible for a credit.
2
All waste must be collected within the Wrexham County Borough area.
3
The collection of waste for recycling (or re-use) does not conflict with
existing Borough collection schemes and is consistent with the Municipal
Waste Strategy.
4
The Council does not already pay for the waste to be collected or
recycled.
5
All claimants that will collect and recycle waste must be registered and
approved by the Council before services commence for which a claim is
to be made.
6
Registrations must be renewed annually.
7
Applicants must advise the Council of such details as are required to
budget adequately and verify the claims made. These details may be
amended or added to in future but are currently:




Organisation name and address;
Description of recycling activity;
Whether the organisation is a not for profit, profit-making or charity;
Location of collection points;
Types and estimated quantities of materials to be collected for
recycling or reuse.
8
Claims are to be made quarterly during the financial year. Quarterly
claims are to be submitted to the Authority by 30th September (Quarter
1), 31 December (Quarter 2), 31st March (Quarter 3) and 30th June
(Quarter 4).
9
The waste collector and subsequent holders of the waste must be fully
compliant with the waste duty of care and other relevant waste
management regulations and evidence to support this compliance must
be made available to the Council.
6
10 All claims are to be submitted in writing to the Council and must be
supported by sufficient evidence to allow the Council to include the waste
in the calculation of Waste Data Flow, Performance Indicators and to
satisfy all external auditors.
11 Applications for registration for third party re-use and recycling credits
from profit-making companies or associated organisations1 will be
considered but their applications for credit claims will be assessed
separately against the above criteria and will also be subject to
negotiation by the Authority to determine appropriate terms and
conditions. The Authority reserves the right not to pay any credits at all.
12 Applications for registration from companies subject to any form of
producer responsibility legislation or schemes and for wastes potentially
falling within these will be considered but the Authority reserves the right
to make special terms and/or not to pay any credits at all.
1 Such
as a non-profit making trust or foundation associated with a private, profit
making company or a company such as a charity trading company, which covenants
100% of its profits to a charity or other non-profit organisation.