Issue - meetings

Christchurch Waste Collection Service

From 1 April 2020, BCP will be responsible for operating waste & cleansing services within the Christchurch area, meaning a pragmatic operating model is required to ensure sustained service delivery and a smooth transition for Christchurch residents.

A new waste strategy and uniform collection methodology for BCP will take time to develop, agree and implement across the conurbation. Alignment of waste & cleansing services will provide parity across BCP, greater flexibility operationally, financial efficiencies and environmental improvements.

In December 2018, the Government released a new Waste Strategy, ‘Our Waste, Our Resources: A strategy for England’. The strategy sets out proposals for how the Government’s ambitious aims will be achieved. These proposals have recently been consulted on and are likely to significantly impact on the tonnage, composition and value of waste that BCP is required to manage. BCP will be required to comply with new legislation resulting from the National Waste Strategy by 2023.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED that:-

(a) Christchurch’s waste & cleansing services are managed by BCP directly from 1 April 2020

(b) An interim solution (Option 3) is introduced from 1 April 2020 where by BCP operate Christchurch’s waste & collection services in line with the current Dorset Council collection model, except for mixing glass with other dry recyclables in the recycling bin.

(c) Officers are authorised to complete a strategic review of existing waste & cleansing services across BCP to develop our future waste strategy and uniform collection methodology in line with the Government’s Waste Strategy, ‘Our Waste, Our Resources: A strategy for England’ and subsequence legislation scheduled for 2023.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Environment and Climate Change

REASON

From 1 April 2020, waste & cleansing services in Christchurch must continue with minimal disruption for residents.

It is therefore recommended to continue a fortnightly collection of residual waste, weekly collection of food waste and a fortnightly collection of garden waste. However, in line with recycling collections in Poole and Bournemouth, residents in Christchurch would present all mixed recycling (including glass) in their recycling bin for fortnightly collection rather than sorting glass in a separate kerbside box.

This collection methodology offers a simpler collection with fewer containers, less lifting and an enhanced recycling offer for Christchurch residents as additional materials such as foil and cartons can also be included in the recycling bin, aligning with the recycling service in Bournemouth and Poole. To ensure a smooth transition, the current Dorset Council operational staff will be transferred to BCP on 1 April 2020 and will continue to operate their current collection rounds.

This interim solution offers consistency, steps towards parity for Christchurch residents and future-proofs service delivery, allowing sufficient time for the development of the Government’s new waste strategy, subsequent consultations and legislation (requiring compliance by 2023), which will influence BCP’s local waste strategy and uniform collection methodology.

The net financial benefit of operating a mixed recycling collection service in Christchurch (Option 3) is £342k per annum, £2.39m over 7 years (vehicle lifespan).

In all options considered, the collected glass is recycled in the UK, usually as an aggregate that replaces sand in road or building construction.

With Option 3, fewer waste collection vehicles will be used as glass and other recyclables will be collected on the same vehicle. New collection vehicles will contain more efficient Euro 6 engines. Both these factors will reduce emissions of carbon and other pollutants that contribute to local air pollution and climate change globally.

Both Bournemouth & Poole Councils have operated comingled recycling collections since 2006. The collected recycling is sorted at a highly technical Material Recovery Facility (MRF), using the latest separation technology to ensure the quality of the end materials.

Comingled recycling collections provide a safer working environment for staff. A recent study by University of Greenwich and Glasgow Caledonian University published by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) advises that Local Authorities should discontinue ‘box type’ collections for waste and recycling as a matter of urgency, in favour ... view the full decision text for item 52

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet were requested to consider the management of waste and cleansing services in Christchurch from April 2020 for which BCP Council will be responsible for from 1 April 2020.

Cabinet stressed the importance of the communication campaign in order to make it clear that this is an interim solution, and that the Council intends to have a uniformed aligned waste management solution for the future.