BOROUGH OF POOLE
ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
26th February 2008
BOROUGH OF POOLE WASTE STRATEGY PROPOSAL 2008 - 2018
1.0PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1To seek members endorsement of the proposed Waste Strategy for 2008 – 2018.
2.0OPTIONS
2.1Members are asked to consider the proposed strategy and recommend it’s approval to Cabinet and Council.
3.0BACKGROUND
3.1The current Waste Strategy for the Borough of Poole was agreed by full Council on 30th July 2002.
3.2Overview Group for the Environment considered a paper on 13th September 2007 reviewing the performance of the existing Boroughs Waste Strategy. (See background papers)
3.3The Overview Group for the Environment set up a five member, politically balanced, Waste Working Party to review the existing Waste strategy and formulate a new strategy for the Borough for the next ten years. (see background papers)
3.4The services of Hyder Consulting were engaged to assist in researching and highlighting best practise for inclusion in the revised strategy.
3.5The strategy review began in October 2007 when members were briefed with the options available to the Borough giving consideration to our existing contractual waste arrangements with Viridor Waste Management.
3.6 In November 2007 a series of visits were conducted for the Waste Working Party to a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) and Energy from Waste plant (EfW) to witness the technology and understand the commitments the borough has already made for waste disposal.
3.7A Working Party meeting was held on 15th April to update on progress.
3.8On 20th May Hyder Consulting delivered a presentation to the Working Party outlining the draft short, medium and long-term action plans to assist the borough in meeting its statutory targets.
3.9On 5th June the Working Party agreed the draft action plan and to proceed with public consultation. The methods and process of the consultation were also agreed.
3.10At a Working Party meeting on 16th December, the results of the consultation were presented to the Working Group by Hyder Consulting. The group considered the resident’s responses and supported the re- drafted action plans. These are highlighted in the action plans in Appendix 2.
4.0 ISSUES
4.1The publication of the Waste Strategy for England by DEFRA on 24th May 2007 proved timely to form the basis of a 10 year strategy for Poole. The Strategy seeks to give a greater focus on waste prevention – from saving money by making products with fewer natural resources to reducing the costs of waste treatment and disposal.
National recycling/composting targets:
- To recycle or compost at least 40% of household waste by 2010
- To recycle or compost at least 45% of household waste by 2015
- To recycle or compost at least 50% of household waste by 2020
National recovery targets:
- To recover value from 53% of municipal waste by 2010
- To recover value from 67% of municipal waste by 2015
- To recover value from 75% of municipal waste by 2020
4.2 The Borough has an agreed waste disposal contract with Viridor until 2027. Within this contract there are contractual commitments, which need to be adhered to regarding the disposal of waste.
4.3 The Waste Strategy 2007 sets out the framework for waste management within England and confirms the use of the Waste Hierarchy as the most sustainable model in relation to waste and its management. The waste hierarchy is an easy to understand and recognised conceptual framework that acts as a broad guide to the order in which waste management options should be considered in the development of a sustainable waste management strategy.
Figure 4.3.1 The Waste Hierarchy
4.4The Action Plans have been designed with the Waste Hierarchy in mind therefore Waste minimisation will form a key part of the entire strategy.
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5.0PUBLIC CONSULTATION
5.1 A 12-week public consultation period was in effect from 1st September 2008 – 21st November 2008.
5.2 A summary document encompassing the key issues in a questionnaire was prepared for the Consultation. Approximately 30% of questionnaires given out were returned using a combination of paper responses and on-line forms 560 in total.
5.3 The consultation consisted of:
- Roadshow events in different locations throughout the borough including supermarkets, libraries and shopping centres.
- Two workshop events were arranged with participants from Poole Opinion Panel. These were conducted in an informal round table style. The presentation was based on that used with the Working Party to ensure consistency of approach and make sure the key topics were all covered.
- The Poole Youth Forum Annual Meeting was attended. Consultation forms were distributed with an explanation of what we are trying to achieve and how the proposed strategy will impact on young people in Poole.
- A presentation at each Area Committee throughout September and October 2008.
5.4The results of the consultation showed that the response was overwhelmingly in favour of the proposed strategy with 84.7% of respondents in agreement with the proposed Action Plans as detailed in the executive summary document.
5.5 Following the completion of the public consultation and the review of its findings by the Waste Working Party, the revised strategy was produced in draft and made available to member in Committee rooms.
6.0REVISED STRATEGY
6.1The table at Appendix 1 summarises Poole’s position in relation to the waste hierarchy. It demonstrates the transition from the existing strategy to the proposed strategy, outlining best practice and the key messages from the consultation which link the two.
6.2The executive summary of the revised strategy is presented in Appendix 2. This includes the action plans referred to in 3.8 above.
6.3The complete Draft Waste Strategy 2008 – 2018 is available to members in their rooms.
7.0FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1Financial implications for the proposed activities have been anticipated in the medium term financial plan. It is planned that this investment in line with the action plans contained within the strategy, will deliver overall efficiencies in waste disposal budgets.
2009/10 £95,000
2010/11£81,000
2011/12£6,000
8.0LEGAL & EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS
8.1DEFRA strongly encourages all authorities (single and two-tier) to produce, or contribute to, a municipal waste management strategy or equivalent.
8.2The Strategy needs to take into account emerging objectives such as equality implications in the Borough. These will be considered and embedded in all the action plans as a result of equality impact assessments.
9.0PARTNERSHIP INVOLVEMENT
9.1The Borough has a strategic partnership with Viridor Waste Management for waste disposal.
9.2A partnership agreement is in place through the Dorset Recycling & Reduction Group working with Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) to provide subsidised compost bins to residents of Dorset.
9.3Poole will also engage with WRAP on national campaigns using its nationally recognised iconography and adopting relevant campaigns. e.g. Love Food Hate Waste.
10.0CONCLUSIONS
10.1The existing waste strategy has succeeded in ensuring that Poole is delivering its waste services at a high level with good customer satisfaction. The Environment Scrutiny and Overview Group considered that the strategy had been delivered and was in need of review. The draft strategy provides a further framework of actions to continue to achieve our targets and ambitions for the next 10 years 2020.
Shaun Robson
Head of Environmental & Consumer Protection Services
Contact OfficerIan Poultney
Tel01202 261761
Date27th January 2009
Background Papers: where possible make available on website and give details of address
Background papers
- Environment Scrutiny Committee – 13th September 2007
Review of the Borough of Poole’s Waste Strategy
- Environment Overview Group - September 2007
Waste Strategy Working Group
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Appendix 1
Poole’s Waste Strategy – the links between the 2002 strategy and the 2008 strategy
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISEKEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
WASTE PREVENTION
Waste Minimisation /
- Food wastage – no current actions
- Promotion of subsidised home composting bins
3.1.1 (page 28) /
- Love Food Hate Waste
- Engaging with private sector / government body to provide a subsidised scheme
- 93.0% of respondents either felt that reducing food wastage was very important (72.6%) or fairly important (20.4%)
- 72.1% of respondents either agreed (26.8%) or strongly agreed (45.3%) that they would support home composting
- Waste minimisation promotion will be a key thread throughout the whole Strategy
- Short term action plan – (4)
- Ongoing green waste initiatives
- Medium term action plan – (1)
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISE
KEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
RE- USE
Dorset Reclaim /
- Since the partnership began Dorset Reclaim have made in excess of 1100 collections from residences in Poole equating to 82 tonnes of bulky waste of which 68 tonnes has been either reused or recycled, a rate of 83.3%.
Re-use partnerships
/- The contract in place with Dorset Reclaim was not reviewed under the Strategy Review or Consultation
- Short term action plan (8)
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
Blue bin recycling collection /
- Fortnightly collection using 140 litre wheeled bins
- Voluntary option to swap to 240 litre in exchange for smaller refuse bin
- All new properties will receive a 240 blue recycling bin
- If a bin is damaged, the bin swap will be applied (large blue bin / small black bin)
- Outline Business Case developed to build MRF
- Poole ranks 11th out of all the Unitary Authorities. Its dry recycling rate ranking 7th overall.
- 57.8% of residents were not in favour of the blue bin swap over being made compulsory
- 38.4% were in favour
- Over 6,100 bin swaps to date
- Short-term action plan – (2)
- Continue to promote voluntary bin swaps – Aim for 400 per month.
- Funding available for three years (14,400 bins)
- Project establsihed develop plans for MRF in partnership with Bournemouth BC
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISE
KEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
Garden waste collection /
- Seasonal (April – October) fortnightly collection using 240 litre wheeled bin
- Service available to 22,000 properties
- The top performing Authorities are diverting high levels of garden waste
- Need to balance cost of collecting waste with savings gained when diverted from landfill
- A significant number of comments on the consultation were requesting an extension of the garden waste service
- 9% of respondents made an unprompted comment regarding having a garden waste collection
- Short term action plan –(5)
- Green Waste Kerbside Collection Study
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISE
KEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
RECYCLE / COMPOST
Bring sites
/- Two bring sites run during the summer months to support the kerbside collections.
- Increases to five over the Winter months
- Additional materials have been added since December 2008 – WEEE goods and textiles
- Borough of Poole are currently pioneering this methodology of collecting waste.
- 46% of respondents would be in favour of banning green waste from the black bin following expansion of the bring site network.
- Short term action plan – (4)
- Ongoing green waste initiatives
- Medium term action plan – (1)
- Green Waste Capture Campaign
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
Achieving future BoP recycling targets /
- To recycle or compost at least 40% of household waste by 2010
- To recycle or compost at least 45% of household waste by 2015
- To recycle or compost at least 50% of household waste by 2020
- Consideration of impact versus cost is a paramount consideration.
- Residents were keen to achieve targets, not necessarily surpass them.
- The Action Plans are designed to align with these targets, not surpass them and incur unnecessary operational costs for the Borough.
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISE
KEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
On street recycling /
- 60 dual bins are in place on Poole’s beaches
- 300 dual bins have been installed on Poole streets
- To support this, the Government has developed with key stakeholders guidance and a voluntary code of practice published by the end of 2007, with the intention of stimulating a new wave of public recycling from 2008
- Favourable comments in consultation ‘I am very pleased with the new public waste bins that have been provided in Poole – excellent’
- The existing scheme will be monitored. When funding opportunities allow will look to expand.
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
Food waste
Food waste cont.. /
- Disposal of food waste is promoted via home composting. A collection service is not in place
- Promotion through waste minimisation – Love Food Hate Waste campaign to reduce food waste thrown away
- 31% of kerbside residual waste is estimated to be food waste, making this material an obvious target for local authorities for separate collection and treatment.
- There is a growing interest in separate food waste collections across the UK as an important option in diverting biodegradable waste from landfill.
- Over 100 local authorities in the UK are providing a food waste collection service to their residents in one form or another, ranging from small trials to collections across a whole county. (Sept 08). This study has however shown that collection of this waste declines as householders recognize the waste they are producing. An education campaign may be more effective.
- 62.4% of respondents either agreed (32.4%) or strongly agreed (30%) that they would support a separate collection of food waste.
- Food waste disposal will be tackled under the waste minimisation agenda, if it forms a substantial part of collected waste, consideration will be given in later action plans.
- Long term action plan – (1)
- Kitchen waste capture campaign
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
Nuffield Household Waste Recycling Centre /
- Household waste is separated out at the site for recycling and reuse resulting in an over 70% recycling rate
- A maximum recycling rate of 80% (excluding inert) was assessed to be hypothetically achievable for individual sites, whilst a more realistic average national CA site recycling rate of 60% was assessed to be achievable by 2005/06
- 78% satisfaction in 2006
- Short term action plan – (6)
- Operational review focusing on collection, CA sites and logistics
- Medium term action Plan – (4)
- Best practise review of the Nuffield CA site
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISE
KEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
RECYCLE/ COMPOST
Commercial Waste /
- A refuse and recycling collection service is offered via wheeled bins
- Skip and Roll on off services are provided (Up to 80% of skip and roll on off waste is recycled)
- Both focus groups wanted to see a greater level of commercial waste recycling
- Short term action plan – (3)
- Commercial Waste Education Campaign
- Medium term action plan – (7)
- Commercial Waste Composition Study
ENERGY RECOVERY
Energy from Waste (EfW) Contract /
- A contract is in place with Viridor Waste Management for waste disposal in the borough. This includes sending a flexible amount of waste to EfW to enable BoP to achieve LATS targets
- Did not form part of the Consultation as contract is in place
EXISTING STRATEGY / DRAFT STRATEGY REFERENCE / BEST PRACTISE
KEY MESSAGES
Strategy reference / PUBLIC CONSULTATION
KEY MESSAGES / PROPOSED ACTIONS
DISPOSAL
Black bin refuse collection /- Weekly collection using 240 litre black wheeled bins
- Voluntary option to swap to 140 litre in exchange for larger recycling bin
- All new properties will receive a 140 black refuse bin
- Properties with damaged bins will receive a 140l bin
- Families with identified needs given bins which satisfy those needs
3.2 (page 30) /
- The top 10 performing authorities all operate alternate weekly collections (AWC)
- Media coverage of AWC has been negative, anecdotal evidence in Poole supports this
- The consultation made no reference to AWC or asked specific questions regarding refuse disposal.
- Satisfaction with household refuse collection as measured by the 2007 Best Value Survey (BV90a) was 93%.
- Short term action plan – (2) Priority
- The existing level of service will be maintained, however promotions of swap to 140 litre refuse will continue
- Consideration of extending the policy of no garden waste in black bins
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