Agenda item

To receive a report fom the Corporate Manager for People, Governance and Waste reviewing the Bin It 123 scheme.

The Group had before it, and NOTED, a report* from the Corporate Manager for People, Governance and Waste.

The Chairman congratulated the Waste Management Team on their success with the scheme.

The following was highlighted within the report:

• Following the most recent Government announcement regarding Simpler Recycling, the Corporate Manager for People, Governance and Waste stated that he did not envisage the current three weekly collection scheme changing and that it was in the Council’s interest to make sure that its current scheme worked as effectively as possible.
• The report showed the improvement achieved since the implementation of three weekly collections in October 2022 regarding both a rise in recycling rates and a reduction in residual collection rates.
• Both of these are required to reduce the Councils carbon footprint and help it achieve its carbon net zero commitment. In the 21/22 national figures the Council was ranked in the top 35 of more than 200 Councils and Mid Devon District Council hopes to further improve its position in future 22/23 and 23/24 statistics.
• It was the team’s aim to ensure residents removed food waste from the residual waste collected and place it in the food caddy.
• Although the majority of households are complying with the scheme, 12% were putting out extra side waste and these residents required further education.

Consideration was the given to the following comments and questions:

• Whether families could be educated to use recyclable nappies – this was signposted on the website but greater emphasis could be applied.
• Whether uncooked food could go in the food waste caddy? – It was confirmed that all food, without packaging, should go in the blue food waste caddy. A campaign about food waste had gone to the residents of Teignbridge District Council and Mid Devon District Council could use the same campaign.
• Plastic packaging should be recycled at supermarkets soft plastics collections.
• Vulnerable residents – were Mid Devon District Council reaching them? Recycling Advisors would be going out into communities over the next few months to advise and support residents.
• Did Mid Devon District Council have any plans to start accepting plastic film?
• How could residual waste be reduced? Much of it could be recycled.
• The Environmental Protection Act 1990 s.46 contained legislation to enforce recycling. However, if waste was left piling up within the curtilage of a property then that was not an offence. District Council Officers could use other elements of the legislation to enforce and encourage householders to dispose of their rubbish properly.
• At the same time as educating the public, could excellence in recycling be celebrated?

Stickers were already used to explain why waste was not being taken, could a “Star” sticker be used to reward good practice?

• Why did the recycling centres refuse to accept households black waste? – If households had exceptional waste then if they contacted Customer Services on 01884 255255 then that waste could be collected.
• The Cabinet Member for Environment and Services commented that discussions about how to reduce waste and collaborative working with other authorities was already underway. In the graph at 2.4 of the report, 50% of the waste could easily be recycled within Mid Devon at no extra charge to the Council.
• Within the education programme being put together, the point should be made to the public that if the Councils in Devon didn’t spend £5m on collecting waste then what other services could be funded using that £5m?
• Education: The Street Scenes team were going into Primary Schools and talking to Key Stage 2 children (year 3 upwards). Mid Devon District Council contribute Resource Future who were specialist advisors from Bristol who go into schools to get involved in pupil engagement.
• Specialist campaigns around Christmas and other times of the year.
• Working with the Communications Team – radio advertising etc.
• Enforcement procedures – case by case basis.
• Households in challenging circumstances – the team encouraged Members to let them know if they were aware of residents needing support.

Note: *report previously circulated and attached to the minutes.