Oxford flats recycling row escalates

Past changes to Oxfords recycling collection policy state that landlords and agents are required to provide the same number of appropriate recycling containers as refuse bins for communal areas.

According to the council, recycling rates in flats can be improved by removing existing green landfill bins or changing them to recycling bins, or buying new blue recycling containers. At present, waste and recycling collections are provided in-house by the authority.

Landlords were given 12 months to comply with the equal bins policy from December 2012, after which time the council said it would only remove a volume of landfill waste equal to that of the recycling material presented for collection.

Councillor John Tanner, board member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford,said that the 12 months period had now expired and it was about time residents living in flats caught up with the citys recycling drive.

Cllr Tanner has previously said that any recycling in flats that is not presented in an acceptable way would not be collected by the council, adding it would be up to the landlords to provide a private waste company to take the waste away.

The council cautions that landlords failing to comply with the policy will be served a Section92a notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA), while tenants still presenting excess residual waste after the bins have been provided could be served notices under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA).

Ultimatum

Responding to the local authoritys ultimatum, a spokesman for the National Landlords Association told letsrecycle.com that there was no moral or legal responsibility on landlords to comply with the councils policy. [testimonial id = “3” align=”right”]

He said: To say this is the landlords responsibility seems strange and weird. Its up for councils to designate bins and it seems unfair to target landlords. At the end of the day any business cost will be passed on to the consumer further down the line so this measure would also hurt the residents.

But, hitting back at the Association, Mr Tanner said: “The National Landlords Association seems determined to rubbish the good name of landlords. Most landlords and agents in Oxford have been keen to provide their tenants and leaseholders with decent recycling facilities. Of course landlords have a legal and moral responsibility to provide proper recycling opportunities.

Most flats in Oxford already have proper recycling but a few landlords have been slow to act. The city council is beginning to provide a weekly food waste collection for flats in Oxford in addition.”

Punitive

Andrew Bird, chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), was also sympathetic towards the measures proposed by the council.

Mr Bird told letsrecycle.com: Sometimes when we get to a point when we have tried everything there comes a point when we have to get tough. We should try and offer advice and support as much as possible but if that doesnt work we do have a look at punitive measures as a last resort.

Oxford city council currently recycles around 45% of its waste and has initiated several new drives to boost its rate above the 50% required by 2020. In June, the council ruled that street food vendors must provide biodegradable or recyclable take-away food packaging for customers (see letsrecycle.com story).