Agenda item

(Environment Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-025-2011/12).

(1)        That, in view of the success of the kerbside recycling scheme and the costs of bank maintenance, collection and processing, all bring schemes relating to the collection of cans, aerosols, and plastics be discontinued; and

(2)        That tenders be sought for the provision of bring schemes for the collection of paper, textile, glass and tetra packs (cartons), with only those sites which generated a surplus for the Council being retained and with the responsibility for the acquisition and maintenance of bring banks resting with the bring bank provider.

The Environment Portfolio Holder introduced a report about the review of recycling bring schemes (recycling banks).

The Portfolio Holder informed the Cabinet that the Council had a total of 23 recycling bring schemes (also called bring banks) across the District. These schemes had been introduced over a number of years when only a limited kerbside recycling collection service was offered to residents. However, the Council now provided a comprehensive kerbside recycling collection service, with all of the materials accepted at the recycling bring schemes now collected directly from residents’ properties.  Residents could also dispose of all normal recyclables and heavy or bulky objects such as metal or large electrical items via the Council’s chargeable bulky waste collection service or at County Council Household Waste Recycling Centres. Many retailers would also recycle old electrical equipment when new goods were purchased.

The Portfolio Holder reported that it was therefore not surprising that the usage of some of the bring schemes were in decline. The need to upgrade and modernise the recycling bring schemes offered an opportunity to review the viability of these sites, and it was proposed that only those which generated a net income for the Council, either directly or through recycling credit, should be retained.  Furthermore, given the investment that would be required to re-provide the containers at some of these sites, it was also suggested that the Council transferred responsibility for the containers to the recycling processors through a tendering exercise.

The Cabinet was reminded that not all residents of flats within the District did not have access to a doorstep collection service of recyclables, and that some prominent sites within the District should be retained. The Portfolio Holder reassured the Cabinet that each site within the District would be examined during the tender exercise, and discussions with ward members would be held regarding the future of each site, which would include figures for each bank. The Portfolio Holder encouraged residents, light-heartedly, to not use the recycling facilities at the local supermarkets as the Council would not receive the benefit, and confirmed that the extension of the collection of cartons (tetra packs) would be examined when putting together the tender documents.

Decision:

(1)        That, in view of the success of the kerbside recycling scheme and the costs of bank maintenance, collection and processing, all bring schemes relating to the collection of cans, aerosols, and plastics be discontinued; and

(2)        That tenders be sought for the provision of bring schemes for the collection of paper, textile, glass and tetra packs (cartons), with only those sites which generated a surplus for the Council being retained and with the responsibility for the acquisition and maintenance of bring banks resting with the bring bank provider.

Reason for Decision:

To ensure that only recycling bring schemes which generated an income for the Council would be retained and that responsibility for the acquisition and future maintenance would be transferred to the recycling processor(s).

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To continue as present incurring expenditure of between £30,000 and £50,000 for the upgrading of facilities.

To cease all bring schemes, irrespective of viability, on the basis that they contributed only minimally to the Council’s overall recycling performance.  This would also result in some well used sites becoming unavailable for residents as well as foregoing some income of approximately £38,000 per annum.