Defra has now written to all waste disposal authorities (WDAs) with a questionnaire to determine “barriers to introducing weekly food waste collections and how these could be overcome”.
This comes after various concerns were raised during the consultation process that rolling out a separate food waste collection instantly could impact long-term disposal contracts and lead to high costs.
The questionnaire seeks to find out what these problems are so Defra can then “make an informed decision” on transitional agreements.
Dated 14 December, the Defra letter, seen by letsrecycle.com, says: “If you do not complete the questionnaire, we will take this as confirmation that there is no reason that your linked WCAs or unitary area cannot introduce weekly food waste collections alongside your existing disposal contracts”.
The questionnaire closes on 13 January.
If ministers decide it is appropriate, we will include specific transitional arrangements
- Dozie Chukudebelu, Defra
Letter
Written by Dozie Chukudebelu, deputy director for collection and packaging reform delivery, the letter comes in advance of the government’s second consultation response on consistent collections, due next month.
Mr Chukudebelu said in the letter that subject to ministerial and cabinet clearance, the government will set out that separate weekly food waste collections from households must be introduced by the majority of collection authorities by a common date.
The letter explained that there are specific circumstances why some collection authorities may need longer to rollout food waste collections. This includes where the new requirement will adversely impact on long-term disposal contracts for energy from waste and/or mechanical biological treatment held by waste disposal authorities.
Mr Chukudebelu said in the letter: “In these specific circumstances, if ministers decide it is appropriate, we will include specific transitional arrangements for a particular collection authority in the commencement regulations setting out when they will need to introduce weekly food waste collections by. However, in order to do this, any WCAs affected must first be identified.”
Collection authorities
A separate letter was also sent to waste collection authorities (WCAs) informing them of the process.
In this letter, Mr Chukudebelu said: “We will involve any impacted WCAs in the discussions with the WDA on the basis that any transitional arrangements will relate to them. If your WCA is not informed otherwise, it should assume that it will be required to bring in separate food waste collections at the same time as the majority of WCAs.”
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