Agenda item

The Committee to consider a written report from the Waste Collection Manager.

The Committee was informed that the paper titled ‘DEFRA Review of Waste Policy’, circulated to Members by officers before the meeting, formed the basis of the Council’s draft response to the consultation document.  DEFRA were seeking as many responses as possible to inform the development of their policy. The review aimed to increase the level of recycling as the UK worked towards a zero waste economy. 

Members heard that it was not clear if the term ‘zero waste economy’ was intended to mean an economy where all products were capable of being recycled, or one where they were actually recycled. This was an area the Council would seek clarification on. Preparing for re-use was an area where little work had previously been done: consumers generally disposed of unwanted items rather than seek ways for them to be re-used. This would be a major barrier to increasing take up of this part of the strategy. With regard to energy recovery, most of the Council’s waste already went to the Allington energy recovery facility, so the Council was in a relatively fortunate position.

In response to a question, Councillor Sherreard informed the Committee that the Council had bid for funding through the Kent Waste Partnership and the Waste and Resources Action Programme to implement the waste strategy, and he was hopeful that this would be supported as indications were the strategy was highly regarded by them.

Members discussed the consultation document and agreed the following items be considered for inclusion in the Council’s response:

·  A Member had experience of paper mills, where organic waste had been mixed with sewage to increase the rate of decomposition and generate methane gas for bio fuel. Members agreed that the mixing of sewage with other waste to generate bio fuel was an area that should be considered;

·  The use of the taxation system to encourage better waste practices was considered. Councillor Sherreard believed the Treasury was considering this, and Members heard that in Germany the taxation system was used to discourage waste. Members believed that tax incentives to encourage manufacturers to adopt better waste management practices, and tax penalties for those failing to properly adopt them, would increase the level of recycling.

·  The use of colour coding of street waste bins was discussed, to facilitate recycling of the contents. The Waste and Resource Action Programme, a government funded company, had developed standard colour coding and symbols for recyclable materials, which the Council had begun to use in its information material and at recycling sites. Members agreed that colour coding of street waste bins should be considered;

·  Members noted that small to medium sized businesses faced significant difficulties disposing of their waste. The Council were unable to accept it and there was a lack of affordable recycling suppliers, so many businesses did not recycle at all. Members agreed that authorities should be given the statutory power to enable them to compete for this business;

·  Manufacturers of consumer items, such as electrical goods, should be required to provide a recycling service;

·  Major retailers should be encouraged to work with their suppliers to develop low-waste products, supported by a regulatory system for non-compliance after a period of adjustment;

·  National and local authorities should work with the freecycle  movement to promote re-use of unwanted items and help it to be more productive;

·  Members noted that capital investment could be a major barrier to some initiatives, such as providing energy to homes from energy recovery plants, or producing bio fuel from waste. Members believed that fiscal incentives to local authorities to introduce such schemes would assist development of them, and that the tariff for selling energy back to the power grid should be set at a level that would encourage investment;

·  Members believed that penalties for fly tipping and similar environmental offences should reflect the cost of removal and disposal by the authority, and of the environmental impact, to discourage potential offenders; and

·  Government procurement rules should allow for departments and local authorities to select tenders that were not the cheapest, if the items to be supplied provided better recycling capability.

Resolved: That the Cabinet Member for Environment consider the inclusion of the following items in the Council’s response to the DEFRA consultation paper:

a)  The mixing of organic waste with sewage for the production of bio fuel;

b)  The use of taxation to provide incentives to manufacturers  to produce recyclable products, and penalise those who do not;

c)  Colour coding of street waste bins to facilitate recycling;

d)  Local authorities be given the statutory power to compete for waste contracts with small to medium sized businesses;

e)  Manufacturers of consumer items, such as electrical goods, should be required to provide a recycling service;

f)  That major retailers be encouraged to work with their suppliers to develop low waste products, supported by a regulatory system for non-compliance after a period of adjustment;

g)  That national and local authorities should work with the freecycle movement to encourage the re-use of unwanted items;

h)  That fiscal incentives for local authorities to develop large capital schemes, such as energy to homes from waste, or to develop bio fuel facilities, be provided, and the tariff for selling energy back to the Grid should be at a level that encourages investment;

i)  That penalties for fly-tipping and similar environmental offences should be set at a level that recognises the environmental impact  of the offence and the cost of removal and disposal by the local authority; and

j)  Government procurement rules should allow for departments and local authorities to select tenders that were not the cheapest, if the items to be supplied provided better recycling capability.