Agenda item

Northumberland Waste Management Strategy - Kerbside Glass Collection Trial Update

To provide an update on the kerbside glass recycling trial which commenced in November 2020 to include key performance measures including recycling yields, resident participation and acceptance levels, prior to a final report on the trial and proposed next steps for the roll-out of an enhanced glass recycling service being presented to Cabinet in October 2021.

Minutes:

The report provided an update on the kerbside glass recycling trial which had commenced in November 2020, including key performance measures on recycling yields, resident participation and acceptance levels.  A final report on the trial and proposed next steps for the roll-out of an enhanced glass recycling service was to be presented to Cabinet in October 2021.  (A copy of the report is enclosed with the signed minutes).

 

Paul Jones, Service Director – Local Services, stated that whilst the Council provided a very good performing waste service which was cost effective and, reliable, no significant improvements had been made to recycling rates for a number of years, with continued high landfill diversion rates.  This needed to be addressed as part of the Climate Change Action Plan.

 

He referred to recent Government policy reviews and consultations and the expectation that local authorities in England would need to achieve a recycling rate in excess of 50% with a wider range of materials collected at the kerbside and more consistency between areas.  This was expected to be financed through ‘new burdens’ funding for local authorities and taxation on manufacturers and retailers under the ‘producer pays’ principle.

 

Modelling in 2019 identified the preferred way forward to improve recycling on a phased approach which included kerbside collection of glass, more plastics including pots, tubs and trays and food waste.  Cabinet had agreed to a kerbside glass collection trial in October 2020 to test assumptions and put the Council in the best position to bid for funding and implement changes as quickly as possible.

 

The trial had commenced in November 2020 with approximately 4,000 households in Morpeth, Bedlington, Hexham and Alnwick/Lesbury.  A 140-litre wheeled bin had been provided and was emptied every 4 weeks.  An average yield of 71 kg per household was projected for the year which compared favourably with neighbouring authorities.

 

Noise monitoring and ear defenders had been provided for employees to reduce exposure to noise to an acceptable level but also allow them to hear noise from road vehicles and instructions from colleagues.

 

89% of residents were satisfied or very satisfied following a survey undertaken in May 2021.  Monthly collections were also working well with more than sufficient capacity in bins which were rarely full and not always presented.

 

To date they had been unable to assess the additional benefit due to the Covid-19 pandemic as residents had been unable to go to hospitality venues resulting in more alcohol being consumed at home.  There had been a 22% increase in glass collected at HWRC’s and bring sites since 2019/20 and they were unable to distinguish what impact the trial had on diversion rates from these facilities.

 

The report to Cabinet would consider next steps, whether the trial be extended beyond November 2021 to obtain additional data now that there were no restrictions in place, and timing of rolling out kerbside collection of glass given availability of Government funding.

 

The Service Director – Local Services, replied to members questions with the following information:

 

·        Whilst average put out rates were relatively low, this could be due to a number of factors: whether residents were recycling or perhaps continuing to put glass in general waste, the size of the container and if only half full it might not be considered necessary to have it emptied every month.  Consideration also had to be given to average yield and participating residents responses to the survey.  Smaller households had capacity to put the bin out less frequently and there could be capacity to increase the number of households participating in the trial, if extended.  Other factors would also need to be taken into account including extension of the working day if there was a larger round, capacity of vehicles and potentially extra trips to unload etc.

·        A comingled collection of glass and other recycling material required consideration of the contamination risk from glass shards amongst fibre material, health and safety risks, separation of materials, end uses and quality.  The lifecycle of the material needed to be assessed to ensure robust, high value end uses in the UK to ensure maximum environmental return.  Some local authorities had invested in the mechanical removal of material at the front end of the process, however this resulted in lower values and minimal usage due to contamination of other materials.

·        Glass collected in Northumberland was taken to transfer stations for storage to enable efficient transportation in bulk to end users for remelt, which provided the highest value, into other glass products or for construction uses, e.g. sandpaper.

·        Glass manufacturers wanted large pieces of glass for remelt which was obtained with less handling.  Introduction of colour segregation technology would mean that clear glass would increasingly no longer need to be separated from brown and green glass.  Some breakage was desired when collecting glass to maximise refuse vehicle loads.

·        The Government had recently consulted on a glass deposit return scheme, or reverse vending, which was actively being considered.

·        Private waste producers made their own arrangements for the collection of waste.  The Council offered the full range of waste collection to business premises with a reduced cost for material which could be recycled to recognise the financial benefits received by the Council from the sale of the material.

·        Transport emissions were taken into account in the calculation on 140 tonnes of carbon dioxide saved through usage of conversion factors developed from high level industry lifecycle assessment modelling across a range of European recycling plants.

·        If the glass recycling trial was expanded across the county, it was expected that investment would be required in additional refuse vehicles and crew with new collection arrangements.  Overtime had only been used during the trial period to enable an assessment.

 

Members commented that the trial had been well received and more residents wanted to be included.

 

The officers were thanked for the report.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.      The contents of the report, be noted.

2.      The success of the glass recycling trial scheme to date, in terms of high customer satisfaction levels and very high yields of glass collected per household, be noted.

3.      The Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee supported the trial and expansion of glass recycling across Northumberland.

Supporting documents: