The south-east London borough holds the lowest recycling rate in the capital and was second from bottom in the UK’s recycling league tables for 2014/15 with a recycling rate of 17.09%.
The change follows the findings of an eight-week consultation launched by the mayor and council cabinet in August 2015, asking residents their views on how Lewisham might change their waste and recycling services. An online survey published as part of the consultation found that 94% of respondents felt Lewisham should recycle more.
In February, the council recommended a new collection system which includes a subscription garden waste service, weekly food collections and a fortnightly refuse collection.
Currently, there is no food waste collection in the borough and both residual and commingled recyclables waste is collected on a weekly basis.
Findings
Additionally, findings showed that over two thirds of respondents wanted a weekly food waste service and 70% of respondents wanted a garden waste service. However some respondents disagreed with charging for the service.
In addition, there was mixed support towards reducing the frequency refuse collections alongside weekly food waste rounds.
So far, only the subscription garden waste service, which replaces one-off charges for sack collections, is actively being rolled out across the borough with new wheeled bins being provided to those using the system.
From June, the subscription garden waste service will cost £45 up until 31 March 2017, and £60 thereafter.
The consultation noted that the weekly food collection and reduced refuse collections services earliest implementation date could be autumn 2016.
Kerbside properties will see the changes first with those living in estates to see a later roll-out.
The cost of the new system has been estimated at between £7.1 million and £8.2 million, giving a potential yearly saving for the council of up to £700,000.
Residual waste is sent to the South East London Combined Heat & Power (SELCHP) energy from waste (EFW) facility and dry recyclables to Viridor’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Crayford.
Regulations
With the changes, the council say they will be better equipped to meet the amended Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, which came into effect on 1 January 2015 as well as the UK’s 50% recycling target by 2020.
Regulation 13 of the Waste Regulations states that waste collection authorities must separate paper, metal, plastic and glass. However, Lewisham reported separate collection costs would be excessive and the service would be “technically impracticable” with no Waste Transfer Station available (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, the council has confirmed that discussions with Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich and Southwark have already begun to find a facility that would enable separate recycling collections.
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