Agenda item

The Recycling and Refuse Collections Policies July 2016 onwards was presented by the Head of Recycling, Waste and Fleet Services.  The aim was to outline Newcastle Borough Council’s methods of dealing with recycling and refuse collections.

 

Section 1 - outlined the statutory requirements.

 

Section 2 - Service Charter with Residents

 

What you should expect of us

 

Resolved:-

 

That an additional bullet point be added as follows:-

 

·      To return containers to a safe and convenient location.

 

What we ask of you

 

The Head of Recycling, Waste and Fleet Services clarified that there was no separate emergency out of hour’s telephone number as it was the Borough Council’s contact policy to use the Contact Centre switchboard telephone number.

 

Section 3 – General arrangements for the collection of recycling and refuse

 

The Head of Recycling, Waste and Fleet Services confirmed that residents who do not return their empty containers would be notified in writing.  Enforcement action may be taken in cases of containers being repeatedly left outside the boundary of the property.

 

Resolved:-

 

That that the time residents should return their empty containers back to their property is changed from 7.00pm to 8.00pm.

 

Section 4 – Collection Points

 

Resolved:-

 

That point 7 is amended to read:-

 

Non-standard collection services will be assessed in view of the new collections policy and where there are changes to services, residents affected will be informed.

 

Section 5 - Designated Containers

 

This section outlined the recycling and food waste service, accepted materials and container size.

 

Presently half the Borough was operating a plastic liner trial for the silver caddy, with the proposal to extend the trial to cover the remaining parts of the Borough.  If the trial showed to be successful there would be a need to consider offering residents liners.  This would be incorporated into the food waste tendering process to support the Borough Council in the provision of liners.

 

Committee were asked for their views on offering transparent or translucent Council logo sacks to properties unsuitable for wheeled bins.  Committee agreed that translucent sacks be offered.

 

Resolved:-

 

(a)   That if the trial for plastic silver kitchen caddy liners was successful to bring back to Committee the proposal to offer residents silver food caddy liners.

(b)   That translucent sacks be offered to properties unsuitable for wheeled bins.

 

Section 6 - Excess Dry Recycling and Food Waste

 

Householders would always be offered extra containers for dry recycling or food waste.

 

Section 7 – Excess Residual Waste

 

Where households claim they had insufficient capacity to store their waste in the Council issued container, they would be visited by an Officer who would assist them.  A waste assessment would not be carried out for larger households (six persons or more).

 

If Officers were unable to visit households, the Contact Centre would advise that an Officer would return their call.  If there were more than six persons living at the household details would be taken over the telephone.

 

Section 8 – Excess Garden Waste

 

Additional bins were available for garden waste at a charge to residents published annually in the ‘Fees and Charges’.

 

Section 9 – Excess Waste, Side Waste and Closed Lids

 

There had been an increase in the collection of cardboard.  Residents would have to be advised to fold cardboard as there would be constraints on size.

 

Section 10 – Assisted Collections

 

There would be no change to this policy.  The demand for this service increases each year.  The reason an assessment was carried out is to assess the location.

 

Section 11 – Medical Waste

 

In the past this was called clinical waste.  The Council does not operate a separate collection of ‘clinical waste’.  Collections of clinical waste can be arranged via the GP or hospital.

 

Section 12 – Contamination

 

Residents would be informed of what materials could go into each of the containers.  If refuse was found to contain items that could be recycled the collection crews would empty the container and leave a notice on the container explaining the situation and the consequences of further occurrences.

 

Section 13 – Replacement Containers

 

There was no change within this policy.  New containers would only be replaced upon request.

 

Section 14 – Bulky Waste

 

Charges for the bulky collection service for larger or heavier items within the Borough were published annually in the Fees and Charges.  However if the item could be reused the collection would be undertaken free of charge.

 

Section 15 – Enforcement

 

Any enforcement would be undertaken in accordance with the Council Enforcement Policy.

 

Resolved:-

 

That a revised copy of the Recycling and Refuse Collections Policies July 2016 onwards be amended and distributed to Committee.