However, Reading may instead look to work with its neighbouring authorities within the re3 partnership – Wokingham and Bracknell councils – to establish a joint food waste collection service in future.
The council had been exploring the feasibility of introducing its own kerbside food waste collection service as a part of its Waste Minimisation Strategy 2015-2020 Action Plan.
The five year waste minimisation strategy was launched to help meet the 50% by 2020 EU recycling target and seeks to address challenges generated by the town’s rapid population growth. Reading first unveiled the strategy in January 2015 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Reading currently offers no service for the separate collection of food waste from householders, although residents can have garden waste collected via a green wheeled bin or bag. Residual waste and commingled dry recyclables are also collected in separate wheeled bins.
Report
At a meeting of the council’s Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure Committee tomorrow (November 18) councillors are to consider a report which outlines the overall cost involved in a potential change in the service.
According to the report, the initial outline annual cost of providing kerbside waste collection based on the purchase of specialised food collection vehicles and staff would be around £1.4 million alongside the capital costs for vehicles and containers of around £1 million.
Speaking to letsrecycle.com David Moore, Reading’s neighbourhood services managers, who compiled the report, said: “We looked at the kerbside collection as an option for the local area and with the amount of money and additional services it would require, it’s just not a viable option.”
In addition to the high price, savings in landfill costs would depend on the participation rate and waste yield per household, Mr Moore added. “Reading has a high proportion of HMOs [houses in multiple occupancy] and flats. Waste collection in flats is much more difficult, which is likely to have an adverse impact on food collection participation rates.”
Should councillors agree with the recommendation not to go ahead with the food waste service, Reading borough council will work together with its re3 partner authorities, Bracknell Forest and Wokingham, in order to identify options for a joint kerbside food waste collection service.
Changes to the re3 management structure and working arrangements are now in place with the aim of facilitating collaborative working on a range of waste minimisation initiatives, the report claims.
Moore said: “By looking at kerbside waste collection as a joint venture with our re3 partners, it may be possible to make savings and continue to help meet the 2020 EU 50% recycling target.”
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