AGENDA ITEM NO: 7
ENVIRONMENT AND REGENERATION SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 2009
REPORT FROM CHIEF ENVIRONMENT OFFICER
PAYMENT OF RE-USE CREDITS TO FURNITURE RE-USE PROJECTS
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To update Members on Wrexham County Borough Council’s furniture re-use proposals.
INFORMATION
1
At present Wrexham County Borough Council only pays recycling credits to
organisations that recycle paper.
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.
There are, however, no furniture re-use projects within Wrexham County Borough
receiving these credits.
3
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
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.
5
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.
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6
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.
7
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.
8
The concept of paying reuse credits supports the 2009/10 Corporate Priority of
‘Reducing carbon emissions and energy use’.
RECOMMENDATION
That Members consider the report and recommend to Executive Board that the Council
undertakes a trial of the furniture re-use operation for 12 months, with the policy being
reviewed after this time.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
None.
WEBSITE INFORMATION
None.
Report Ref: CEnO/06/09S
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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
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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.
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.
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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.
Current Organisations that would possibly qualify include:New 2 You
Second Circle
British Heart Foundation
Nightingale House
YMCA
Capricorn Animal Rescue
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