The Department consulted informally on the draft guidance in June 2008, alongside the five other elements of any potential trial scheme (see letsrecycle.com story).
The draft guidance for a 'good recycling service' published in the initial consultation came in for criticism from LARAC, the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee, as being “potentially confusing” (see letsrecycle.com story).
In its response to the first consultation, LARAC voiced fears that 'the implication of the current draft is that if it does not collect plastics and food separately, it might not be possible for the recycling service to be defined as 'good'. This would unnecessarily constrain choice”.
And, it would appear that the newly-published draft 'good recycling service' guidance, which has to be consulted on formally due to being the achievement of its requirements being a legislative precondition for any pilot scheme to operate, has taken these concerns on-board.
The document makes clear on several occasions the distinction between applying the guidance to councils looking to apply for the trial incentive schemes, and the approach that councils simply looking to improve their recycling services should take.
The consultation document states that: “This piece of guidance concerns the kerbside recycling service that should be in place before a local authority may introduce a waste incentive pilot scheme.
“It does not provide a general definition of a good recycling service, nor is it intended to be a definition against which all authorities operating a waste collection service are to be judged,” it added, with there being three further occasions in the guidance, and once in the covering letter, where it is emphasised that the criteria only apply to pilot schemes.
Criteria
As outlined in the original draft guidance for a 'good recycling service', councils looking to apply to run a pilot incentive scheme must achieve the minimum criteria of a 20% recycling and composting rate and free kerbside collection of at least two waste streams, of which at least one must be a dry recyclable.
The guidance also details desirable criteria, which will give “additional weighting” to applications when they are considered, and include standards such as having a higher recycling and composting rate and introducing – or planning to introduce – plastics or food waste recycling.
Those involved in the new consultation process are asked whether they agree with both the minimum and desirable criteria within the guidance, and if not, then why not.
They are also asked if, and how, the criteria should assess councils' previous waste management policy implementation, as well as whether the scope and purpose of the guidance itself is clear.
Rebate
Much of the controversy that has been attracted by the financial incentive scheme proposals has focused on claims that they represent a “bin tax” by stealth (see letsrecycle.com story) with their use of a 'charge and rebate' system.
However, this debate appears to have overshadowed the fact that councils will be able to introduce purely 'rebate'-based system, offering incentives for those who, for example, use smaller bins, while not charging those who do not do so.
Councils will not be able to run pilot schemes until legislative changes that are contained in the Climate Change Bill are passed through Parliament – which is still on recess until October 6.
Once the Bill receives Royal Assent, waste and recycling minister Joan Ruddock has indicated that councils will have eight weeks to submit formal applications to become on the five pilot schemes, with the government confident that there will be sufficient interest from local authorities (see letsrecycle.com story).
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