Agenda item

Context:

To update Select Committee on the recycling collections pilot planned to commence in September this year and for Members to note and comment on the proposals for the trial for the Recycling Review as previously reported to Committee and Cabinet.

          Key Issues:

The recycling review has been before Select Committee many times. It was agreed that a further report would be brought before Members with the details of the approved pilot so that there was a full understanding of what we were planning to do ahead of further reports in early 2017 with a final recommendation for the authority. Just to recap the pilot will:

 Remove glass from the purple bags and be collected separately

 Red and purple bags to remain separate for the trial

 Food and garden to be collected as now, recognising that a commitment has already been given to collect this separately

 Residual – fortnightly and 2 bags (see below for proposal to reintroduce grey bags)

The pilot area has been mapped, subject to a detailed vehicular access review.

The rounds are shown in appendix 1. As previously reported the pilot was to be based around Llanfoist Transfer Station due to the site being able to receive glass separately without the need for any investment in infrastructure. The pilot includes approximately 5,500 households within Abergavenny, Gilwern, Govilon, Goytre, Llanellen, LLanover, Llangybi and Little Mill. This area has been chosen as it r represents a good demographic cross section of the County and includes a mix of urban, semi-rural and rural areas.

We are still engaging with the market to determine the final specification for the pilot vehicle but our goal is to secure a three-stream vehicle with a pod for glass and a split body to collect red and purple bags separately.

At previous meetings Members have been concerned about the receptacle used to collect glass. Further research and investigations have been undertaken and we believe that glass should be collected in a box. Why? We have investigated the use of both a box and a reusable ‘hessian-type’ bag with our crews, other authorities, our MCC H&S officer and an external H&S consultancy. Feedback from a health and safety perspective is that a box is more suitable due to several reasons:

 Bags - strain is placed on one shoulder when carrying/loading, Box - Better techniques in lifting, good stance and posture, weight distributed between both arms.

 Bags - potential for loaders being cut due to close proximity of the bag during emptying with the risk of broken glass.

 Bags – No rigidness to support loader during emptying, box is more rigid, very unlikely to break, therefore less risk of injury to loader.

 Bags - Higher risk of blowing away and spillage onto pavement

 Bags - Higher rate of replacement due to blowing away and their durability – estimated life of bag 2-3 years, box up to 10 years.

MCC officers feel that the bags present too much of a health and safety risk to our loaders and are therefore proposing that we do not continue to proceed any further with this option.

Whilst there maybe concerns regarding visual amenity and street scene we must remember that we are removing glass from our recycling stream to ensure compliance with existing law whilst maintaining the integrity of the existing red and purple service.

We are also recommending that the re-introduction of the grey bags occurs within the pilot area during the trial. With the current trend of increasing residual waste (overall residual waste went up 10% in 2015-16 compared to 2014-15), it would be opportune to gauge whether re-introduction and compulsory use of the grey bags has a positive effect in terms of a reduction in residual waste presented kerbside and/or an increase in recycling capture.

Member Scrutiny:

Members queried the motivation for and cost of the green box pilot, and how success of the trial will be measured ahead of consideration of the introduction of the scheme countywide.  The Officer explained that the cost of the trial will be in the region of £40,000.  This includes some additional staff and the purchase of a split back vehicle with a pod utilising a second-hand RCV chassis.  It was explained that there is the potential to halve the throughput to the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) with consequent reduction in costs, with a potential saving of £250,000 per annum.  Additionally, separation of glass will allow it to be glass recycled instead of going to aggregate which is not the preferred outcome environmentally or in terms of MCC’s Wellbeing and Future Generations goals.  The Officer explained that success would be indicated through improvement in recycling performance targets (or no change as MCC has good kerbside recycling performance), improvements in the financial performance of the service and best environmental recycling outcomes.

The Chair indicated that there was a risk to investment if residents don’t separate the glass and advocated a communication plan.  The officer responded that efforts will be made to engage with the residents undertaking the trial including the presence of officers in the area and also capture analysis to monitor progress.  

A Member criticised the proposals as a stealth means of returning to boxes, that the health and safety considerations were unchanged and that we were pandering to the market.  The Officer explained that a third bag option was explored but found to be unsuitable for acceptance by the market.  Members discussed that they were generally not in favour of boxes.  The Officer clarified that the market wants to purchase glass loose and unbroken, and also explained the problems associated with plastic or recyclable bags.  It was confirmed that Cabinet have already approved the pilot scheme and that if the trial is unsuccessful, alternatives will be sought.