Three-weekly switch sparks Carmarthenshire fly-tipping concerns
Carmarthenshire county council has quashed concerns that its switch to three weekly at the end of the month could increase fly-tipping.
The Plaid Cymru-controlled authority will become the seventh Welsh authority to switch to three-weekly residual waste collection at the end of the month. It will also collect recycling every week, as part of a review into its waste strategy.
Plaid Cymru councillor Kim Broom questioned whether “unintended consequences” of less frequent collection were factored into the review.
Ainsley Williams, director of place and infrastructure at Carmarthenshire county council, said that “the focus of the change is recycling”. He added that 50% of what is in residual waste is recyclable, which “costs the council in performance and in financial terms”. Mr Williams also said that the change will help encourage residents to recycle more, adding that the council “didn’t anticipate any issues [with fly-tipping]”.
However, Cllr Broom argued that she thinks fly-tipping will increase, “especially around the early start of the implementation before there is a change of behaviour”.
The council’s head of waste and environmental services, Daniel Jones, then said that the council is “fully prepared” to deal with any arising issues.
Envar trials solution for compostable packaging
Organics recycling company Envar has announced it joined a government funded project Compostable Coalition, set to trail and evidence a solution for compostable packaging and products.
The company explained that the project aims to seek a closed loop solution for the effective collection sorting and industrial scale processing for compostable materials.
Envar stated that the project started in May 2022 and is set to last for two years. It said that Compostable Coalition brings together stakeholders ranging from the producers of compostable packaging to retailers and industry associations “to ensure a balanced approach to its work”.
Envar outlined that it manages the industrial scale composting trial part of the project, which started in December and is set to conclude in March. The recycler noted that the trial will involve various compostable product feedstocks coming into its Cambridgeshire site where they will be sorted and analysed.
The material will then be mixed with existing food and green waste feedstocks and put through its in-vessel and open windrow process to track and monitor the materials degradation during the trial period, the company added.
Views sought on Dorset EfW plant
UK based company MVV Environment Ltd is seeking views on a proposed energy from waste (EfW) facility in Canford Resource Park, Dorset.
The firm announced has dates of pre-public consultation events when it plans to answer questions and explain the project in more detail. These are to take place on 12, 13 and 14 January. MVV Environment added that consultation will also be undertaken with businesses located on and near the resource park.
The company said that it submitted a scoping report to the local planning authority of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, which sets out the proposal in more detail and includes environmental and other concerns that will need to be addressed in the planning application, MVV Environment added.
The proposed combined heat and power facility is set to treat up to 260,000 tonnes of residual waste per annum and is to be ‘carbon capture retrofit ready’. The company explained that the plant is to be sited on land that was previously developed for a smaller EfW facility, which is no longer operational.
According to MVV Environment, the land is part of an active waste management site, which includes a closed landfill.
Cheltenham announces change to HWRC opening hours
Cheltenham borough council has announced a change to opening hours at its Swindon Road household waste recycling centre (HWRC) from 1 February.
The council explained that this comes “following a decrease in use by residents after the pandemic and to help reduce operating costs by around £35,000 per year”.
Councillor Iain Dobie, cabinet member for waste, recycling and street services, outlined that the council has “put forward a potential solution to continue the service by adjusting the daily opening hours, and closing on a Wednesday as this is a quieter day”.
Cllr Dobie then assured residents that the council “remains invested” in the facility and “is looking to offer an even wider range of reuse and recycling opportunities in coming months”.
The new opening hours will see the HWRC open from 8.30am to 4pm on weekdays excluding Wednesday, from 8.30am to 3pm on Saturdays and 9am till noon on Sundays.
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