Sanctions
In the face of disrupted waste and recycling collections in recent weeks, yesterday (5 January) the councillor with responsibility for waste and recycling criticised Biffa, threatened sanctions and said the firm’s contract will not be renewed.
Later yesterday the authority issued a further statement saying that “residents can also help to increase the speed and efficiency of the crews”, and that piles of recycling bags had been seen “higher than a man’s head”.
Biffa won a contract for collection of waste and recycling for Epping Forest DC – an authority in west Essex – in 2014. At the time it was valued at £50 million and to last 10 years, and is thought to have had a potential extension of a further 10 years (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, in recent years Biffa has faced some problems with the contract including what the council reported last summer as an “unprecedented” 32% employee turnover in the 12 months to July 2022 (see letsrecycle.com story).
In August 2022 a meeting between Biffa and Epping Forest also heard that vehicles were getting older and that supply chain problems had made repair and replacement harder.
New Year
2023 opened with strong criticisms of Biffa from the council.
Yesterday (5 January 2023) Councillor Nigel Avey, Epping Forest DC cabinet portfolio holder for contracts, said: “Council staff are working night and day to try to improve Biffa’s performance. Among the issues over Christmas were vehicles reaching capacity before the end of rounds, with no time to collect the remaining properties after unscheduled tipping. Punctures and breakdowns caused further delays, alongside high levels of staff and agency staff absence. All these issues have been taken up with Biffa.
“We continue to apply pressure and enforce the contract where possible to try to improve service. Unfortunately, even with extra crews now being deployed, not all the missed collections will be caught up this week.”
Performance
Cllr Avey went on to say that the council is taking “appropriate action” and that “the current contract with Biffa will not automatically be renewed. We have started work towards a new contract. That is a year or two down the line. For now, we will continue to do everything in our power to improve Biffa’s performance. That includes help where we can and sanctions where necessary.”
Residents
Subsequent to the statement regarding Biffa’s performance, the authority then issued a strongly worded statement targeting residents saying that they can help to increase the speed and efficiency of the crews.
Epping Forest has a collection system using a variety of containers. It has black bins for waste; disposable plastic sacks for recyclables; a green bin for garden waste, shredded paper and waste food; a blue box for glass bottles and jars. The green bin can be lined with cardboard but large amounts are not allowed. Small WEEE items, textiles and shoes are also collected weekly in separate plastic carrier bags.
Cllr Avey’s message to residents this week, included the following points:
- You and your neighbours could save your collection crew an hour or more by carefully placing your bins where they are most accessible.
- Refuse collection is hard manual work. Our crews are prone to injury. We have seen piles of recycling bags stacked higher than a man’s head. Bending, over-reaching, and lifting from height are all common causes of injury and time off work
- Help us to speed up the collection of cardboard for recycling. Remove any contents from cardboard boxes and fold them flat. Cardboard acts as a sponge, adding weight and mess. Bag it properly to keep it dry and clean for collection. Polystyrene packing cannot be recycled. Separate it from cardboard and put it in your black residual waste bin.
- Rats, foxes and cats should never be interested in dry recycling sacks. If you rinse all the food from cartons, tins and containers, there is nothing to attract them. Unrinsed food containers quickly attract vermin. Weil’s disease, also known as Leptospirosis, is carried by animals. It is common in rats and can be caught by anyone in contact with rat urine.
Biffa
Biffa, in response to the recent difficulties at Epping Forest, said yesterday in a statement: “We’re really sorry for the recent disruption to collections. A combination of weather conditions, staff shortages and vehicle availability has been challenging. We are working with Epping Forest District Council to resolve these problems and returning to a good level of service.”
Blue bin trial
Discussions between both the contractor and the council are expected to continue during January.
Changes in the way that Epping Forest collects waste could be a factor in a revised contract. The authority has recently started a trial in part of its area of using a blue wheeled bin to contain all recyclables rather than using sacks and boxes.
Subscribe for free