Agenda item

Further to considerations relating to recycling and to the waste levy at meetings of the Select Committee held on 5^th February and 7^th November 2019 respectively, the Select Committee received a position statement with regard to waste management issues.  The position statement built on the content of the Waste Management Strategy 2013/14 and considered the importance of balancing performance (recycling rates) and cost avoidance (revenue and disposal budgets) moving forward.

Three basic indicators, all of which were linked, could be used to judge Waste Management Service (WMS) performance:-

·         operational performance – WMS had made significant operational efficiency savings by changing to a 2-weekly and then a 3-weekly collection system, with a weekly collection of food and garden waste, across Oldham.  This provided the optimal way (in terms of recycling performance and operational efficiency) to collect waste;

·         disposal performance – changes to waste collection systems had also produced significant cost saving in the disposal budget as residents managed their waste more efficiently and made better use of recycling services.  The household recycling rate (HRR) had improved from 38.88% to 44.65% over four years to 2018/19, a performance considered good when comparing Oldham’s socio-economic position to other authorities; and

·         environmental performance – efficiency savings had been made, with collection rounds at full capacity and the fleet including the cleanest and most fuel efficient vehicles available and, across Greater Manchester, a target of 96% of Greater Manchester’s waste being diverted from landfill through a variety of means.

The position statement also made a SWOT – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats – assessment of the WMS.  It was concluded that while WMS had successfully implemented a number of major service changes which achieved a HRR of 44.65%, careful assessment needed to be made as to the actual benefits to the service and the Council as a whole before improving performance further.  Without an obvious driver for improvement in domestic tonnage figures, the Service must maintain its current performance level through Officer work and effective communications. Continued improvement in the trade waste service was considered vital for the WMS as budgets remained under continued pressure and concerted effort to maximise waste reduction techniques should be made wherever possible. 

The priorities for 2019/20 were therefore to increase the number of contracts and income generated by the trade waste service; to focus on all activities and communications aimed at removing recyclable waste from the waste stream before it is required to be disposed of; and ensuring that contamination levels within recycling waste streams do not exceed the maximum limits for load rejection.

Noting that low grade plastics went into the grey bin, a Member queried whether there was any benefit in separating out this material for collection.  It was noted that this material had a high calorific value which was of benefit for the energy recovery incinerator facility and that there was no real alternate market for such waste.

With regard to efforts to redirect more food waste, Members were advised that there was a general reluctance to recycle food because of perceived ‘smell’ issues, rather than any lack of provision of bin liners.  This had been backed up by a residents’ survey.  Members commented on their own feelings and experiences of food recycling, and it was asked whether, with local Members’ support, the Service could produce and/or support distribution of leaflets.  It was indicated that this could be considered alongside existing activities.

An apparent disparity between reported refuse disposal figures at paragraph 2.2 to the submitted report and the figures shown in connection with the Levy Allocation Methodology Agreement (LAMA) at paragraph 2.2.2 to the submitted report was noted, and it was asked that clarification be forwarded to the Chair.

RESOLVED that the submitted Waste Management Position Statement be noted.