Aberdeen proposes switch to fortnightly collections

Officers are recommending that the kerbside collection of cans, glass and paper should be switched from fortnightly to weekly, while the collection of non-recyclable waste should be fortnightly instead of weekly. Garden waste collections will run on alternate weeks to collections of general refuse.

” Alternate weekly collections of refuse and recyclables have been utilised by more than 70 local authorities to date in the UK. These have proved success.“
– Ian Livingstone, Aberdeen city council

The council has said it needs the alternate weekly service because it faces “stiff financial penalties” from 2006/07 unless more waste is recycled. Councils in Scotland are taking part in the Landfill Allowance Scheme run by the Scottish Executive, similar to that in England (see letsrecycle.com report).

Improvements
Ian Livingstone, head of service for environment said the proposed changes may be controversial, but stressed that similar action had been taken in other areas of the UK and dramatic improvements to recycling had been achieved.

In a report which will be considered by councillors on Wednesday 23 March, Mr Livingstone proposed that there should be a phased introduction of the new scheme with 1,200 properties in Dyce to take part first. The recycling service uses black boxes and white bags, while general refuse goes into black wheeled bins and garden waste in brown wheeled bins.

Mr Livingstone said: “Alternate weekly collections of refuse and recyclables have been utilised by more than 70 local authorities to date in the UK. These have proved success at reducing waste arisings, and encouraging householders to make waste minimization-based purchase decisions.

While altering the collection frequency for general refuse “may be controversial initially”, Mr Livingston said waste analysis showed that more than 50% by weight of household waste can be separated for recycling/composting.

” As long as bio-degradable kitchen waste is carefully wrapped before placing in the bin, householders should not experience any problem with smells.“
– Ian Livingstone
Saving
He said: “This is about improving our recycling performance. Following the introduction of the service it is estimated that an additional 600 tonnes per month city-wide of dry recyclables will be collected for recycling. This equates to a Landfill Tax saving of 150,000 – at the 2006/07 level of 21/tonne – and a disposal saving of 250,000 annually.”

Aberdeen has touted the “tried and tested” alternate weekly system for its success in increasing recycling rates at councils like Daventry, which introduced its system in 1999. Council officers also said the system is identified as a good practice in the Scottish Executive's Best Practice Review of 2003.

Publicity
The implementation of the new scheme would be fully supported by information, publicity and a waste awareness campaign, Mr Livingstone said. Help-lines would be set up and a specially-designed information sheet provided to every household explaining the actions and giving advice on how to get the most from participation.

He said if all biodegradable waste is removed for composting then only non-recyclable dry packaging waste is left, which will not generate any additional odour if left for a longer collection period.

“As long as bio-degradable kitchen waste is carefully wrapped before placing in the bin, householders should not experience any problem with smells, flies, or maggots,” he said.

If householders “persistently fail to comply with the new service requirements”, the council said “some kind of enforcement action will need to be taken”.

In 2003/04, Aberdeen householders produced 112,043 tonnes of waste, with 9.6% of this either recycled or composted. With 25 million in additional funding from the Strategic Waste Fund, Aberdeen is aiming to divert 40% of the city's waste from landfill by 2005/06 including a 25% recycling rate.

A free seminar on how to get the best out of alternate weekly collection schemes is being run at the Stoneleigh Live recycling and waste exhibition next week. See the Stoneleigh Live website for more details.