Agenda item

Provisional data for the year 2020 - 2021

Andrew Pau (Strategy and Commissioning Manager (Waste & Environment) stated that the 2020/21 household waste data was provisional until accepted by the Environment Agency. The reuse and recycling rate increased by 4500 tonnes, but the percentage increase was only 0.8%; composting rates were static and decreased by 1.2% which led to the overall recycling, composting and reuse rate to fall by 0.4%. Residual waste (the waste left after recycling and composting) increased by 11,000 tonnes/4.3% but more people were at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Warwickshire’s increases were modest compared to some neighbouring authorities. Over 100,000 tonnes of waste was sent to Energy From Waste facilities in 2020/21 which was 9,500 tonnes more than 2019/20, 27,000 tonnes of waste was landfilled which was 3000 tonnes less than the previous year. Dry recycling tonnage had increased for all boroughs and districts but there was a slight reduction in the recycling and composting percentage with 50.7% of waste being re-used/recycled/composted; on average each household is producing over a tonne of waste was produced which had increased this year. Normally, the recycling centre targets are 58% with a 60% average for recycled materials at the centres but the average had decreased due to the closure of the HWRCs and the booking system, more kerbside collection of recycling and green waste had taken place. In 2020/21, boroughs and districts collected 20,000 tonnes more waste at the kerbside when compared with the previous year. Over the last two years, there had been on average a 5% increase in recycled/composted/reused waste or an 11,000 increase in tonnes.  The HWRCs collected 7000 tonnes less waste in 2020/21.

In response to Councillor Margaret Bell, Andrew Pau stated that the decrease in waste at recycling centres was not good or bad if waste was separated and reused, recycled and composted where appropriate. Waste at recycling centres decreased by 1/3 and traffic decreased by 2/3 which meant that people were bringing more recyclable material to the centres in one journey than making multiple journeys. It was predicted that more people will take waste to recycling centres when lockdown ends.

Councillor Bell suggested some booking free days for recycling centres as she had received pushback from her residents. The Chair noted that as social distancing was enforced until July 2021, the booking system would stay in place until then.

Councillors Pemberton, Sarah Millar and Kathryn Lawrence all praised the booking system at their local recycling centres. Councillor Pemberton noted that every area has different experiences but not having cars’ engines running while queuing up benefited the environment. He added that a consultation could be done with the public and centres to improve the booking system. The Chair agreed with this and added that ongoing consultations were taking place with neighbouring authorities.

Councillor Millar agreed with Councillor Pemberton and suggested a strategic approach with the staff at recycling centres.

Councillor Lawrence noted how quickly booking slots went at recycling centres and suggested keeping recycling centres open longer during the summer.

The Chair noted that Hunters Lane in Rugby was Warwickshire’s busiest recycling centre and that they recently extended their hours but booking slots were still busy.

Councillor Shenton praised the 50.7% recycling rate, landfill decrease and energy recovery increase and suggested lowering recycling targets to be more realistic and queried how comparable some of the data was. Andrew Pau stated that the recycling targets were aspirational and set five years ago but this was due for a review; he continued that there were contracts in place which had minimum tonnages but there was scope in increase energy recovery and decrease landfill tonnage to 20,000 tonnes (which was low compared to some local authorities). Andrew Pau concluded that not all data was directly comparable as some focused-on household recycling centre numbers and others on kerbside collection.

Councillor Bhagwant Singh Pandher suggested an incentive for home composting like food waste bins.