Northamptonshire defends waste analysis project

The council issued a statement after reports in the Telegraph, Daily Mail and Sun on Tuesday (September 29) claimed that householders were alarmed to see “hooded spies” looking in their bins unannounced. 

Residents told the newspapers that they had concerns that their waste was being stolen and complained about the appearance of the workers, with one claiming they “didn't even look official”.

Responding to the reports, the council said: “Guidance from the government indicates that if residents are given advance notice of such a study, it may affect what is thrown away. The research was not designed to catch people out.”

The local authority explained that it was carrying out the research to “better understand” the content of household residual waste as it moves forward with the procurement of its PFI-funded residual waste treatment contract, 'Project Reduce', in partnership with Milton Keynes council.

“The information gathered is important because it tells the councils how much recyclable material remains in the waste system. It will allow the councils to make better decisions about how to manage waste now and into the future,” Northamptonshire county council said in a statement.

“Waste has been taken from a small number of random properties in each of the district and borough areas by specialists from the company Resource Futures. They worked separately from the usual bin collection services but were acting on behalf of the local authorities as their agents. As such, they had full legal authority to remove waste from people's bins,” it added.

The council also stressed that the workers from Resource Futures had a letter of authorisation with them which they could show to householders on request, that the waste collected was not linked to specific households and that the results of the survey would remain confidential and anonymous.

It also claimed that the research was “not unusual”; with similar projects being carried out elsewhere in the UK.

'Project Reduce' received £138 million in PFI funding in November 2008, and, last month the two-council partnership announced a 10 bidder deal for the long-term waste treatment contract (see letsrecycle.com story).