AGENDA ITEM NO: 6
ENVIRONMENT AND REGENERATION SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2009
REPORT OF THE CHIEF ENVIRONMENT OFFICER
CHANGES TO THE WASTE COLLECTION PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES
1.
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
(i)
To seek a recommendation from Members for changes to the
waste/recycling collection service in regard to missed collections.
(ii)
To seek a recommendation from Members for charging for
administration delivery of green bins.
(iii)
To advise Members of the Council’s current quarter 1
recycling/composting performance.
2.
SUMMARY
2.1
Over the past five years, Wrexham has made significant progress in
improving its recycling/composting rates and this was achieved by the Council
approving the following action:

The introduction of the ‘Recycle with Michael’ scheme when residents were
given a green sack, recycling box and a green bin in order to collect their dry
recyclables and green waste. This scheme has proven to be very successful
and since its introduction, Wrexham has always been in the top quartile in
Wales.
The Council also introduced Bring Sites throughout the County Borough and
there are currently 35, which allows residents to recycle other items within
their community.

All refuse collection rounds were reviewed in 2008 to improve the efficiency of
the rounds which now involves a zoned approach to collecting waste.

Since the completion of the new PFI funded waste plant on Wrexham
Industrial Estate, the Council is currently rolling out a scheme asking residents
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to place their food waste, along with corrugated cardboard into their green bin,
and flat cardboard into their green/blue bag along with their paper, which
gives residents greater flexibility for recycling.

All residents receive a yearly sticker advising them of their weekly collection
arrangements. This is to ensure that residents are fully aware of any changes
to the collection system on Bank Holidays.

All refuse vehicles now have a vehicle tracking system fitted to them so the
Department and the Call Centre are aware of the location of these vehicles at
any time.

Since the introduction of the ‘Recycle with Michael’ scheme, residents have
received green bins, boxes and bags free of charge. Members will appreciate
this is to encourage residents to participate in the scheme.

During this period, there has been a significant demand for green bins and
recycling boxes. Officers believe we have reached a stage when every
resident within the County Borough has now received one green bin or more.
The demand for green bins is now putting a financial burden on the
Environment Department, especially when you consider the purchase of the
bin, the administration and delivery costs. There have been 851 requests for
green bins since 1 April 2009. Similarly with requests for boxes and bags,
again it has a similar effect.

All bags are currently sent out by post which is the most effective way of
delivery these items. However, Officers are seeking support from Members
for the recycling bags to be kept at Housing Estate Offices and the Contact
Centre, where residents can collect them free of charge. Only residents on
assisted collection will receive their bags through the post.
2.2
The Council currently does not have a formalised policy in regard to missed
collections. Members will appreciate that the cost of running a refuse vehicle
team is quite substantial with fuel costs being one of the major elements. The
Department receives a number of calls in regard to missed collections which
has resulted in vehicles driving quite some distance to collect one bin. It is
therefore suggested that if the bin is missed by a Council error, then that bin is
collected forthwith. If the bin is missed by a resident not placing the bin in
readiness for collection, then the Council will only return to collect that bin if
the resident telephones before 2.30 pm on the day of their collection.
2.3
Vehicles are now fitted with a device where the refuse operative can activate
a button on the vehicle to advise the Department and the Contact Centre that
no bin was presented by the resident.
3.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Members recommend the following to Executive Board:-
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3.1
An administrative/delivery charge of £10.00 is levied on all future
requests for green bins from 1st April 2010.
3.2
That recycling bags are made available for collection at the Contact
Centre (Lord Street), local Housing Offices and on refuse collection
vehicles only. Bags will continue to be posted to residents on the
Assisted Collection Scheme.
3.3
Residents not presenting their domestic refuse bins by 7.30 am, which
are recorded by the refuse crews, will not be collected until the next
scheduled collection day, unless the crews are in the local area and a
call is received prior to 2.30 pm on the day of the scheduled collection.
3.4
That Members review these arrangements after 12 months.
4.
INFORMATION
4.1
All residents in the County Borough have been provided with the following
receptacles:
Green bin for garden, food and cardboard waste - collected fortnightly
free of charge.

Recycling bag for paper and white card - collected weekly free of
charge.

Recycling box for plastics and glass - collected weekly free of charge.

Kitchen caddy to transfer food waste to green bin - free of charge.

Residual bin – collected fortnightly – charged.
4.2
Wrexham County Borough Council currently consists of some 60,000
properties and more than 130,500 residents. Each week approximately
120,000 individual waste/recycling collections are made across the County
Borough.
4.3
The current missed collection rate is 65 per 100,000 collections made.
(Approximately 80 per week).
4.4
There have been 851requests for new green bins, 1,232 for new boxes and
505 requests for both boxes and additional bins since 1 April 2009.
4.5
The percentage of municipal waste re-used, recycled or composted from April
2009 to June 2009 by Wrexham County Borough Council was 42.82%.
5.
EQUALITIES IMPACT ASSESSMENT
5.1
The Council’s waste collection procedures and practices have been
impact assessed and designed to meet the needs of relevant minority
groups.
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6.
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
All of the recommendations can all be achieved using existing resources.
7.
LEAD MEMBER COMMENT
The free issue of boxes and additional green bins over the past five years for
the’ Recycle with Michael’ scheme has ensured that all residents of Wrexham
have now been provided with the equipment to meet their recycling needs.
The new charging arrangements will be sufficient to cover the costs of
delivering and administrating new green bins to residents. The new
arrangements for missed collections will reduce unnecessary mileage to
improve both the efficiency and carbon footprint which is one of the Council’s
Corporate Priorities.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
None
LOCATION
Report No: CEnO/21/09S
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WEBSITE INFO.