Agenda and minutes

Councillor Bhagwant Pandher (WCC)

Councillor Andy Wright (WCC)

Claire Preston was substituted by Anton Cuscito (Interim Transport & Waste Manager for RBC)

Glen McCrandle was substituted by Jamie Lewis (NBBC)

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The public reports referred to are available on the Warwickshire Web https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/uuCoverPage.aspx?bcr=1

None.

None.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2022.

The minutes were approved as a correct record.

In response to Andrew Pau, Ruth Dixon clarified that the national benchmarking data (April 2021 - March 2022) had not been published by Defra yet, so was unavailable for the meeting. In response to Councillor Moira-Anne Grainger, Andrew Pau agreed to circulate the national data to members of the partnership as soon as they are published by Defra. The Warwickshire figures will be put into a report for the next meeting and will be compared with other local authorities. The April 2021 – March 2022 figures will not show the new impact of the 1-2-3 waste collection system in place for Warwick and Stratford as this commenced in August 2022. The impact of the new collection system (Aug 22 – Mar 23) will partly show in the provisional annual figures for April 2022 - March 2023.

The statistics for Local authority collected waste management - annual results 2021/22 were published on 24^th January 2023

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results-202122

Andrew Pau highlighted the following points:

·   The performance data report shows the actual tonnages from the first three quarters of this year (April 2022 – Dec 2022) combined with the last quarter from last financial year (Jan 2022 – March 2022)

·   Total household waste decreased by nearly 17,000 tonnes since last year which is good

·   The reduction in residual waste led to the recycling rates increasing despite tonnage decreasing

·   Composting rates were static despite the decrease in tonnage

·   Landfill rates decreased and more waste was sent to energy from waste

·   The estimated performance table for the year 2022-2023 does not forecast the full impact of the new 1-2-3 system in Warwick and Stratford as it uses data from the previous year for quarter 4 (January – March 2022), before the new system was introduced

·   There is a projected increase expected in the recycling, composting and reuse rate to 49.4% in 2022-2023 (compared to 47.9% in 2021-2022), this may increase.

·   It is projected that the kilograms of residual waste per household would decrease to 466 kg (compared to 515 kg in 2021-2022).

·   These performance figures are expected to be comparable with the top quartile of local authorities nationally

·   Recycling at HWRCs is expected to increase from the predicted 54.1%

In response to the Chair, Andrew Pau confirmed the reduction in residual waste across the County demonstrates waste tonnages are returning to pre-Covid levels. People are going out to work and to socialise and this means less waste to collect from the kerbside. In addition, it was a hot and dry summer in 2022 and these conditions have led to a reduction in garden waste.

Councillor Grainger noted that it was disappointing the figures for the 1-2-3 waste collection system were unable to be fully reported as other members and the public wanted to know what difference the new collection system made. Andrew Pau said that Stratford and Warwick have carried out some detailed work looking at the impact of the new 1-2-3 system and have seen reduced tonnages so far; this will be reported when  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Ruth Dixon informed the group that:

·       WCC as the waste disposal authority (WDA) spoke to DEFRA in January 2023, they were interested to discuss how the interface between the WDA and the Waste Collection Authority (WCA) works with regards to recycling payments and data

·   DEFRA provide monthly updates for authorities

·   The National Resource and Waste Strategy was published in 2018 and consultations were carried out in 2019 and 2021. Some feedback from the 2021 consultations on EPR and DRs has been published, but feedback on consistency in collections is still outstanding

·   Reforms called CPR (Consistency and Packaging Reforms)

·   With Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) the local authorities should be paid for the management (collection and disposal) of all household packaging they deal with. This will be funded by the producer (brand owner, e.g. Kellogs), and it is likely that goods would cost a fraction more to pay for this

·   DEFRA are working with Local Authorities on EPR to establish how payments will be apportioned and claimed. It is likely to be calculated on a formula basis rather on actual tonnage or cost. Each authority would be put into one of an expected nine categories that WRAP has developed. EPR should be finalised by April 2024, and this will include how much each authority will get paid to deal with this waste. This amount could be accepted or appealed. The payment will cover everything apart from DRS (deposit return scheme) drinks containers and packaging from which the authority gains an income, e.g. steel cans

·   Over the next few months DEFRA will carry out a composition analysis from pre-selected households to see what the composition of their recycling and residual waste bins are as well as HWRCs and street bins. DEFRA has picked certain individual authorities to become a part of different working groups/panels

·   For the English DRS, it is expected that the deposit level will be capped in law to 25p per bottle / can. In England, DRS will apply to plastic drinks containers e.g. water or pop bottles (PET polymer type) and metal cans. It will not apply to plastic milk bottles (HDPE polymer type) or Tetrapak-style cartons or glass

·   Scotland and Wales plan for their DRS to include glass

·   England’s DRS will apply to containers between 50ml to three litres in size

·   DRS machines will be installed at all supermarkets and in other public places, and they will read the barcode to return the deposit. If eligible waste is put in council recycling, then the local authority may be able to access the deposits

·   Scotland’s scheme is planned to start on the 16^th August 2023 but this may not happen as it is a contentious issue for some of the prospective leaders standing to be First Minister in Scotland

·   England’s DRS is planned to start of the 1^st October 2025

·   Consistency in collections focuses on telling collection authorities what they can/cannot do. It’s expected that there will be a requirement for mandatory separate food waste collections by April  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Andrew Pau informed the group that:

·   All local authorities in England report how much fly tipping is collected in their area via ‘Fly Capture’. The most up to date national data is 2021/22

·   There are variances in how fly tipping data is reported across the County

·   WWP has talked about enforcement before, but more could be done?

·   NBBC has a commercial-style contract to deal with fly tipping, and a lot of work is being done in WDC too

·   Generally, fly tipping had increased or the incidents of fly tipping being reported had increased over time

·   Large changes in fly tipping instances were difficult to explain but may be linked to improvements in reporting

·   Some authorities got a large increase in fly tipping in lockdown i.e. Stratford’s statistics doubled

Councillor Sue Markham noted that what was classed as fly tipping could be litter and vice versa. For consistency, what was labelled as fly tipping needs to be consistent cross-county.

In response to Councillor Sinclair, Julie Lewis stated that there was no evidence that suggested that the 1-2-3 collection system led to an increase in fly tipping in Stratford District. The street cleansing contract was let at the same time, so if the new 1-2-3 service had led to the bins being used for household waste, then the contractor would have let officers know.

Andrew Pau informed the group that there was a sub-regional waste officer meeting taking place later in March and fly tipping will be discussed there.

Andrew Pau highlighted the following points:

·   In 2019/20 there was a black bag splitting trial at Cherry Orchard HWRC where black bags were split open and sorted through to capture more recycling and demonstrate the importance of separating waste. Members of the public were given the option to do this with their waste themselves too

·   External funding was obtained to undertake this, but it had to stop because of Covid

·   8 of Warwickshire’s HWRCs are run directly by WCC but Judkins in Nuneaton is run by FCC Environmental

·   FCC started a trial in January 2023 where they took unsorted residual waste bags (black bags) and manually separated out the contents by material

·   Early results have shown they were pulling out a lot of recycling especially cardboard and textiles

·   Approx 4 - 4.5 tonnes of recyclable waste are being found in the residual waste weekly this saves FCC money on disposal

·   FCC have done this trial at their other HWRCs and they have had good success

·   If the results of this FCC trial are successful, then WCC may implement at one or more of the WCC operated HWRCs

In response to Councillor Bell, Andrew Pau stated that FCC’s business case for this trial was a mixture of them saving money by splitting out recyclables from disposal and an education exercise for the public so they would see what is recyclable. It was reported that members of the public were now less likely to bring in black bags and were more likely to bring in their bag contents already separated.

North Warwickshire

Cath James introduced herself as the Interim Director for Streetscape, replacing Richard Dobbs as the waste partnership representative until a permanent appointment is made.

Nuneaton and Bedworth

Nothing to add

Rugby

Anton Cuscito informed the group RBC now has three electric vehicles for their parks and cemeteries department. The vehicles are expected to arrive in April 2023.

Stratford

Julie Lewis noted that garden waste subscriptions were selling well.

Warwick

Nothing to add

Warwickshire

Ruth Dixon noted that the Council will be sending out a Warwickshire Recycles newsletter for Mother’s Day and Easter focussing on reducing waste. Composting workshop details for this spring are listed on the County Council website. Composting bins are also available to buy on the website. Link below:

https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/green-waste/composting

In response to Councillor Grainer, Ruth Dixon stated that the next composting workshops in Warwick District were:

Lillington Library & Information Centre, Valley Road, Lillington, Leamington Spa, CV32 7SJ. Thursday 18 May at 11am

Kenilworth Library & Information Centre, Smalley Place, Kenilworth, CV8 1QG. Monday 22 May 2023 at 10.30am

Councillor Grainger suggested holding one at Warwick Market.

The Chair informed the group that Warwickshire County Council now have electric mobile library vehicles.

Ruth Dixon informed the group that:

·   Over the last three years, central government has been working on a very detailed study called the Net Zero Review

·   1800 pieces of evidence were submitted and there were 50 round table discussions across the process. Contributors included WRAP, CIWM, LARAC, trade bodies, individual waste companies and local authorities

·   The report sets out a long list of all the opportunities that net zero offers to the UK and gives a road map of the decisions/actions that central government should think about or implement to achieve net zero by 2050, which is their legal commitment

·   The report also looks at the barriers and opportunities for a net zero economy and talks about acting quickly but sensibly with planning, so nothing was done hastily with unintended consequences

·   Investing in net zero now outweighs the environmental consequences of doing nothing

·   The report stated that local councils and communities should be empowered to act, and central government should do things to make the most of local enthusiasm

·   Cleaner air and better energy security were also benefits noted

·   Skill development would be needed because of the number and type of jobs that would be created by going net zero

·   The technology of buildings will need to be improved so they use less energy and can be powered by green energy

·   It mentioned the electrification and stated that improvement of the national grid that was needed to make electrification work.

·   The report also talks about protecting biodiversity, enhancing nature, and helping people relate to how beneficial the UK’s natural resources are

·   One of the recommendations was that central government should choose some trailblazer authorities and communities

·   The report recommended that central government progress the waste reforms in the National Resources Waste Strategy as there is a lot of real benefits to be gained

·   There was a focus on ending the export of plastic waste. More investment in infrastructure in this country would be needed

·   The report stated that there should be more investment in reducing food waste

·   Implementation of the circular economy starting from reducing and redesigning items to reduce waste, followed by remanufacture, repair, reusing and keeping all that material in circulation. This could be done in various areas including construction, vehicles, food and drink and electrical appliances e.g. repairing

·   There is a lot of embedded carbon in textiles

·   Industrial symbiosis should be improved e.g. one industry has a waste material and it could be a raw/input material for another industry

·   When waste is burned as a fuel, it generates carbon so a discussion was needed around what waste as a fuel would look like in the future. Enhancing carbon capture technology for power stations would be needed

·   Biomass and some food waste could be used as a fuel as well as some unrecyclable plastics

·   Public engagement should focus on reducing food waste, improving product labelling

• Fly tipping enforcement in Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough
• Introduction to new members including the roles of waste collection and disposal authorities
• Warwickshire County Council update on waste education

14^th June 2023 at 2pm (this meeting will be in person)

27^th September 2023 at 2pm

• 14th June 2023 at 2pm (this meeting will be in person)

• 27th September 2023 at 2pm

The Chair noted that the summer hours for the HWRCs would be advertised soon.

In response to the Chair, Andrew Pau stated that HWRCs would be open over the Coronation weekend, but booking was required for them to stay open.

The Chair wished everyone luck who was standing for re-election.