Agenda item

This report provides an update on the activity carried out by the waste contractors to Medway Council. Representatives from Veolia Environmental Services and FCC will attend the meeting in order to answer questions from the committee.

Discussion:

Representatives from Veolia Environmental Services (UK) PLC (Melanie Tong and David Fitzgerald) and FCC (Dave Harling) gave presentations and answered questions on the work carried out within the past year.

VeoliaEnvironmental Services (UK) PLC – waste and recycling collection, waste disposal and street cleaning services

The Committee was advised of the arrangements and agreements undertaken in response to the successful award of DCLG funding, to increase both recycling and organics collections to weekly and retaining black sack refuse collections. Work streams had included a review of the existing contract, payment mechanisms and Key Performance Indicators, as well as vehicle specification. Members were given details of the new fleet, which consisted of 46 Euro 5 compliant vehicles, the recruitment and training of staff and the work undertaken to reschedule garden waste rounds and schedule weekly recycling service to flats. The strong partnership working arrangements were highlighted and it was noted that further enhancements to the service would continue to be rolled out, such as the introduction of the twin stream service to flats.

Members were advised as to the performance figures between October 2012 to September 2013 and it was highlighted that the figures for both bulky waste (824 tonnes) and Garden and Kitchen waste (16,224 tonnes) represented an increase on previous years.

In relation to the provision of free WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) collections Members were advised that Medway residents were now able to have items collected from inside their homes and that distinct projects had included WEEE Bring Banks and collections from schools. It was reported that items were taken to SWEEEP’s Sittingbourne facility to be broken up and separated into various material streams.

With regard to street cleaning the Committee was advised that double bin barrows enabled the separation of waste and recyclable materials and that, in addition to normal duties, the Response Team had assisted with 137 community clearances. It was also noted that an alternative disposal location to recycle all of the street arisings from mechanical sweepers had further enabled a 95% diversion from landfill.

The Committee was advised that from October 2011 all waste was transferred via the new Transfer Station at Rochester and that opening hours had been arranged to accommodate other contractors. It was noted that the main focus of the disposal contract had been to ensure minimal tonnage to landfill and that a Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) outlet for residual waste had been identified to further minimise disposal into landfill. Members were advised that total tonnage through the Transfer Station for 2012/2013 had been 104,106 tonnes.

For 2012/2013 it was noted that the recycling performance had achieved the target of 41% and the percentage of roads deemed satisfactory in street cleansing inspections had exceeded target. Members were further advised that public satisfaction was either at or above target for refuse collection, recycling and street cleaning.

The presentation was concluded with information concerning Veolia as a company. This included information on staff development, health and safety and staff welfare.

The Committee asked various questions and commented on:

·        The operation of the Veolia HGV apprenticeship scheme.

·        The recycling rates and targets reported in the presentation and those contained within the Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

·        The impact on recycling rates due to introduction of weekly collections and the emphasis on moving waste from black sacks into brown bins.

FCC – management of the three household waste recycling centres (HWRC)

The Committee was advised that FCC managed 220 licensed waste management facilities in the UK and 140 waste contracts for 98 local authorities. It was reported that they handled over 9 million tonnes of municipal, commercial and industrial waste per year.

The Committee was advised that the total tonnage of waste received at the three HWRCs had decreased year on year and the recycling rate had increased to 63%. It was explained how the high recycling rates at all three Medway sites had been achieved through strategy, diligence of staff and market innovation.

Illustrations of how FCC had reduced landfill and promoted reuse were given. This included 505 tons of ridged plastics being sent for processing and use for items such as bumpers and how the 515 tons of mattresses brought to the Medway HWRCs had been broken down into their original components and sanitised. It was also noted that black bag waste was segregated from bulky items at the Capstone site, ensuring that this waste could be directed for energy recovery rather than landfill. This reduced Medway’s exposure to landfill tax.

In relation to reuse and development the Committee was advised that in December 2013 FCC had undertaken a trial auction, in partnership with the national cancer charity Sue Ryder, on the Cuxton site and that this would be developed in 2014. FCC was also investigating other community partnerships to recycle waste or refurbish more reusable equipment ready for sale through charity outlets.

Further information was provided as to health and safety reporting and accidents. It was noted all incidents were reported to identify unsafe trends and find the most practical and economical solutions. Members were advised that, in association with the Medway waste team, FCC was introducing a safety campaign directed at the customers using the sites.

The Committee was informed that measures of public satisfactions were taken via surveys at the three sites and that overall satisfaction had remained high; through all of the seven survey periods between 97% to 98% of users stated that they were 'very or fairly satisfied'.

The presentation was concluded by reference to future contract development and the acknowledgement that FCC understood that Medway Council, like all local authorities, needed to make significant savings both now and in the future. It was noted that FCC would help the Council to meet this challenge by   reviewing the service and that striving to improve reuse /recycling / diversion rates would result in reduced disposal costs. As an illustration Members were informed that FCC intended to develop a trade waste proposal that would offer SME’s a safe and legal route for the disposal of their waste and that new technology and developments in the recycling and waste industry would be constantly reviewed, along with site layouts, staff training and customer satisfactions surveys.

The Committee asked various questions and commented on:

·        The site layouts at the HWRCs, which were considered small and difficult to manoeuvre within.

·        Positive experiences of staff at the three HWRCs.

·        Flytipping in the vicinity of the HWRCs, which was seen to be attributable to people leaving their waste when the HWRCs were shut.

·        The importance of the work being undertaken by FCC and the Council in developing a safe and legal trade waste proposal.

·        The ability for small privately owned vans to access the Capstone HWRC site by special arrangement and also the ability for residents to take tyres to the Capstone site.

·        The asbestos disposal service available at the three HWRCs and the procedure, which was documented on the Council’s website.

·        The potential to publicise less busy times.

Decision:

The representatives from the waste contractors Veolia and FCC were thanked for their presentations and the answers they had provided to Member’s questions.