Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Corporate Manager for People, Governance and Waste following the revised deadline concerning the elimination of side waste deadline for district collections.

The Group NOTED the verbal update from the Corporate Manager for People, Governance and Waste.

The Following was highlighted:

The revised deadline concerning the elimination of side waste for district collections.

In October 2022 Mid Devon District Council brought in three weekly bin collections following a trial the previous year. Three weekly collections aimed to increase the amount of district recycling and reduce its residual tonnage. Both of those aspects underpin a reduction in the Council’s carbon footprint and helped it meet its carbon net zero commitment.

To date the results of the scheme had been encouraging. Our recycling rates had risen around 5% and significantly reduced our residual tonnage. In 2022-23 the Council came in the top 10% of all Councils on recycling rate and reduction in residual tonnage. The Council was identified by Office for Local Government for the positive progress and asked to present to other Councils in December of last year on how we had achieved those results and the lessons learned from our experience.

On February 26^th of this year we eliminated side waste collections following a 16 month transition period where we had been flexible with all of the district in picking up additional waste left out for collection e.g. that contained in black bins or seagull sacks. We raised awareness of this change through press releases, an online video which showed residents what should be done and also writing to residents who were identified by our crews as still leaving side waste out for collection (this correspondence was shared with Members).

Since the 26^th February 2024 the Council had received daily data on households who were still leaving side waste out for collection. At present and from the results we had received we were showing between 96.5 and 97% compliance on average. These households were being identified for visits from either a Recycling Adviser or an Enforcement Officer depending on the nature of the offence e.g. had it happened before, had they been written to and its scale (2 letters and a sticker). Very few were repeatedly putting out side waste, which was around 4 people per day. A big thank you to the vast majority of the District for supporting the scheme to increase recycling and reduce residual waste.

Behind the numbers there was the important context of local challenges and how we best educate residents and enforce where appropriate. This was where the Members could really assist the scheme, both by helping residents understand what was required but also identifying potential challenges and problems which need to be handed over to the Waste Management for attention. Members input was really invaluable as was their steer on the importance of all residents complying with the scheme.

Our District Officers had investigated those more severe and larger deposits of side waste. These investigations had identified households that had left out carpets and other large items from household clearance which should have been taken to the Recycling Centre (and a visit could be arranged if telephone contact had not been successful). It had also identified households taking their waste to the front door of another residence e.g. finding proof of correspondence for the original resident in the black bag. Where appropriate enforcement action was being taken with fly tipping enforcement part of the portfolio of options considered.

Much of the remaining challenge rested on how we get residents to reduce waste and divert what could be recycled of their waste into the recycling containers and food caddies rather than black bins and sacks. This would be a question posed at next week’s State of the District debate and was highly pertinent to our current situation. A blend of positive education, engagement and communications was required, augmented by effective and proportionate enforcement action.

The District needed to understand that full compliance with the Bin-It 123 scheme was vital if we were to fully realise the objectives of higher recycling and less residual waste set out at the start of this update. As important was the fact that the District was rewarded financially for recycling more of its waste and the current discrepancy between now and where we want to be would be costing the Council the best part of one million pounds.

In looking at our recycling data for 22-23, if everything in our residual waste collection had been recycled then our recycling rate would have seen our income from recycling credits increase by approximately £230K whilst the sale of these materials would have brought in an additional estimated £700K. Obviously there was the current volatility regarding prices for certain materials eg plastic but there would be clear financial benefit from achieving maximum recycling for the District.

Discussion took place with regard to;

• Dealing with Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO’s).
• Dealing with those properties that did not have facilities to store bins. – In both of those areas education of the public would be involved including sending out advisers to assist with the problems that some householders might have. If people needed additional bins or containers then they should get in touch with Mid Devon District Council.
• Although Food Waste was collected on a weekly basis, too much food was still being thrown into general waste.
• Plastic Film waste was on schedule to be collected in 2027 – would it bring in more revenue by way of Government Funding or would it cost the Council? – The answer was that it should be regarded as positive. Customers were keen for the Council to recycle plastic film.

·         Whether the current workforce was sufficient? – This was under constant review with checks being made on a quarterly basis. There had been previously a real shortage of HGV drivers but it is now better than previously reported.

• Request for more publicity as to what could be recycled and how?
• Bulky Waste collections – this was a service that could be requested on-line or through customer services. Bulky waste was a problem for a transient population, the Council would prefer suitable items of furniture to be re-used through a number of the pre-loved shops.
• There was a certain amount of discussion on social media about black bag waste, HMO’s and flats – what was the profile of the sort of residents or areas against whom enforcement action was taken? There was no specific profile that had been more prevalent than others.

The verbal update was NOTED. A formal report will come to the next PDG in June.