Nottingham consults residents on recycling collections
Nottingham city council last week (20 October) launched an eight-week consultation on proposed changes to their waste services.
The council says it needs to improve its 23.9% recycling rate “significantly” to reach the government’s target rate of 65% by 2035.
To increase recycling rates, the council has put forward two proposals for how recycling can be collected from homes and businesses.
The first would use two recycling containers. The council would collect paper and card in a reusable bag and other recyclables in a wheeled bin.
The second option would see separate containers would be provided to collect paper and card, plastics and cans, and glass.
The council is also proposing to begin food waste collections and a trial is due to start in selected areas of the city early 2023.
Cllr Sally Longford, Nottingham’s portfolio holder for energy, environment and waste services, said: “The government has set a challenging target for us to improve our recycling rates from 24% to 65% by 2035, as well as making it compulsory to introduce food waste collections. We have no choice; we have to take action.”
Staff shortages still disrupting Powys collections
Powys county council says difficulties in recruiting HGV drivers and a rise in Covid-19 cases are still causing “significant disruptions” to their waste and recycling collections.
A number of crew members testing positive for Covid has made more missed and delayed collections, particularly in the north of the county, “inevitable”, the council says.
Cllr Jackie Charlton, cabinet member for a greener Powys, said: “Staff shortages and Covid outbreaks are still causing major disruption to the waste and recycling collections across the county. We understand that missed or delayed collections can be very frustrating.
“We would like to thank our crews for their continued commitment and hard work and of course the residents for their understanding.
“Please be assured that we are working hard to keep the service going as effectively as possible and actively recruiting additional staff to help relieve the pressures on the current team.”
Cllr Charlton said crew tried to return as quickly as possible to collect missed residual waste “as a rule”, but recycling collections would “probably” be collected the following week.
If this was the case, he added, Powys would accept additional separated recycling left alongside their bins and containers on their next collection day.
In-house switch to cost Barrow £1.1 million every year
Taking its waste and recycling services in-house will cost Barrow borough council an extra £1.1 million every year, a report by external auditor Grant Thornton claims.
The council announced in August it had agreed with its contractor, FCC Environment, to end its deal early and take services in-house from October (see letsrecycle.com story).
The report also noted the switch would incur £400,000 in transition costs, alongside the additional annual costs.
Elsewhere, Grant Thornton said Barrow’s procurement and contract management was hampered by issues including lost documentation, a lack of suitable staff and a two-year delay in completing a pre-contract checklist.
The report reads: “The council is failing to demonstrate and apply the principles and values of sound governance in its procurement arrangements.
“This is leading to ineffective procurement of supplies and services to support the delivery of strategic priorities.
“This failure to adhere to council purchasing and contract standing orders means it is difficult for the council to demonstrate that it has achieved value for money in all procurement decisions.”
Primary school children open reuse shop in Caerphilly
Primary school children helped opened Caerphilly county borough council’s reuse shop at the former Penallta Depot at an official launch last week (21 October).
Launched in partnership with South Wales-based charity Wastesavers, the reuse shop “provides a great opportunity for items once destined for the household waste recycling centre to be reused and sold at bargain prices,” the council says.
The official opening included a tour of the facilities, a demonstration of how the shop helps the circular economy and a reading of ‘Elves and the Mess Monster’ performed by local schoolchildren.
Cllr Sean Morgan, the council’s leader, said: “Whilst the reuse shop forms part of our extended offer to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle and is the next step in our journey to becoming a carbon neutral authority, reuse also brings a number of social and economic benefits such as offering shoppers the opportunity to find good quality items for great prices, which is now more important than ever.”
Kirklees recycles 150 tonnes of PPT via kerbside collections
Kirklees council says residents have recycled nearly 150 tonnes of plastic pots, tubs, and trays (PTT) in the five months since they were added to kerbside collections in March.
Kirklees says it hopes the move, which was its first addition to kerbside recycling collections in more than 10 years, will see a significant increase in the district’s recycling figures.
Councillor Naheed Mather, Kirklees’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Hitting nearly 150 tonnes of new plastic recycled in the first five months since launch is a fantastic achievement – incredibly, it is the same weight as 300 grand pianos.”
However, Cllr Mather said cutting contamination was proving a “key challenge”.
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