AGENDA ITEM NO: 7
REPORT TO:
Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee
REPORT OF:
Chief Environment Officer
REPORT NO:
CEnO/12/10s
DATE:
Wednesday 14 April 2010
CONTACT OFFICER: Sarah Barton (Tel: 01978 729685)
SUBJECT:
Payment of Reuse Credits to Furniture Reuse Projects
1.
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
1.1
To update Members on Wrexham County Borough Council’s Furniture Reuse
Scheme.
2.
SUMMARY
2.1
Following the agreement that the Council could pay recycling credits to six
identified reuse organisations in Wrexham, Recycling Officers have visited
and advised all the organisations of the furniture reuse project and reuse
credits available. In order for the Council to pay these credits the organisation
must provide a full audit trail.
2.2
To date there has been very limited uptake of the scheme and only one
organisation has registered to join and no recycling credits have currently
been paid out.
3.
RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1
That Members consider the contents of the report.
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4.
INFORMATION
4.1
Recycling officers have made a number of visits to each reuse organisation
based in Wrexham to encourage them to register for the Furniture Reuse
Credits Scheme.
4.2
Each organisation received a registration pack that contained a copy of the
reuse policy, a guidance note with a list of frequently asked questions,
examples of recording sheets, a reuse credits claim form and a registration
from. A copy of the policy is attached at Appendix 1.
4.3
A ‘Choose to Reuse’ leaflet has also been developed giving details of how
Wrexham residents can support the reuse of furniture rather than disposal.
This leaflet explains that householders can take their clean, good quality used
furniture to the dedicated furniture skip at the Household Recycling Centres or
contact a reuse organisation for assistance.
4.4
To enhance and further promote the scheme, Recycling Officers are due to
spend time at the three Household Recycling Centres speaking to members
of the public about the types of waste they are choosing to dispose of. It is
hoped that furniture that may otherwise have been disposed of to landfill will
be diverted to the furniture container for reuse by the furniture projects.
Uptake for the Scheme
4.5
The YMCA have applied to be part of the scheme and are due to submit their
first tonnages in April 2010.
4.6
The British Heart Foundation are currently unable to supply the required
information relating to where the furniture originates from but are developing a
new information system for recording transactions. They intend to register for
the scheme once they have developed a clear audit trail for all furniture that
passes through the organisation.
4.7
Nightingale House Furniture Reuse have expressed an interest in the reuse
credits, but have not officially registered. They hope to start applying for the
credits during 2010/11 once their new Manager is established in post.
4.8
Second Circle have expressed an interest but have not yet registered.
4.9
Capricorn Animal Rescue have shown no interest in the scheme to date.
4.10
New 2 You is temporarily closed so will be unable to register for credits.
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5.
EQUALITIES IMPACT ASSESSMENT
N/A
6.
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
The payment of reuse credits will be made from the Sustainable Waste
Management Grant.
7.
LEAD MEMBER COMMENT
The Lead Member notes the work of the Recycling Officers to encourage
greater participation in the Council’s Furniture Re-use Scheme, although the
uptake has been poor to date.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
Report CEnO/06/09S
Report CEnO/14/09
LOCATION
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WEBSITE INFO.
APPENDIX 1
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 30 September (Quarter 1), 31 December
(Quarter 2), 31 March (Quarter 3) and 30 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.
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.
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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.
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