North Lanarkshire Council has approved in principle a report that could help it achieve greater levels of recycling than ever before. The council has agreed to consider how alternate weekly collections (AWCs) for domestic waste, similar to those in operation in about 380 local authorities throughout the UK, including 14 in Scotland, would impact on recycling figures and help to reduce use of landfill.
The intention is to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill, thereby achieving significant environmental benefits and avoiding heavy taxation that would inevitably impact on the services the council provides to the taxpayer.
Councillors and council staff are keen to ensure the decision is clearly understood by all North Lanarkshire residents. Council Leader, Councillor Jim McCabe, stressed that AWCs were not the council's preferred choice, but that changes in government and European legislation meant it was necessary to consider them an option.
"As a result of European and Scottish legislation relating to waste management targets, North Lanarkshire Council – like other local authorities across the country – has to consider all the available options for diverting more waste from landfill," he said. "We are looking at the possibility of an alternate weekly collection system for domestic residual waste that will allow us to separate recyclable and non-recyclable materials at source.
"This was a difficult decision to make; however, failure to act on waste management could result in fines of up to £2million over the next three years, and may even weaken our application for funding for the second phase of the current waste management strategy that amounts to £30million. That must be avoided at all costs as it would not only impact on the council, but also on the services it is able to offer and, as a consequence, on the people of North Lanarkshire."
Under an AWC system, domestic waste is still collected on a weekly basis. The difference is that it is separated into recyclable and non-recyclable materials before collection. Recyclable materials would be collected one week, non-recyclable materials the week after and so on.
"This is not simply about reducing fines and meeting targets," added Councillor McCabe. "It is also about creating a better future. Landfill is a limited resource, and one which offers no benefit to the environment – we are sure the majority of North Lanarkshire residents will support any reduction in landfill use.
"AWC schemes may not be a popular idea, but the facts are that they deliver increased recycling with very little alteration to overall service and that, if created and managed effectively, they offer only positives to the communities in which they are applied.
"Recycling dramatically reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill, and it is up to local authorities to find ways of enabling communities to maximise recycling and reduce the amount of waste they produce. That means taking decisions based on the results they will achieve."
Executive Director of Environmental Services Paul Jukes has made very clear that the council understood exactly what would be involved in the implementation of any such scheme. "We are aware that if an AWC scheme is introduced, changes will have to be made to the present recycling system," he said.
"That is why we will continue to work with companies who collect and process recyclable materials to determine the best mix of materials to be recovered via blue recycling bins. Under any AWC scheme, blue bin services could be extended to include a range of additional items.
"Schemes like this have in most areas resulted in an increase in recycling rates of approximately 7%. Taken across the whole of North Lanarkshire, that would represent a significant reduction in the amount of waste going to landfill."
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Notes to editors:
Under the scheme being considered for North Lanarkshire, collections of the standard domestic bin and the blue recycling bin would take place on the same day on alternate weeks. Separate collections would continue to be provided for garden waste and glass recycling bins.
A range of additional support steps would include a trial introduction of food waste to the garden waste bin and an augmented special uplift fleet that would improve response times and recycling rates from this service.
The council would also submit an application for increased funding from the Scottish Executive that will help expand the existing garden waste service to a further 5,000 properties; refurbish the 68 existing 'bring' sites (recycling banks), and establish another 20 and create 40 mini recycling sites where an AWC scheme is not feasible, for example in tower blocks and on multi-occupancy blocks with bulk bins.
Such funding would also be used to refurbish the Dalmacoulter and Auchinlea recycling sites; establish an additional 4 community recycling facilities in areas currently furthest away from existing sites, and appoint 6 waste awareness officers to help residents manage domestic waste and use appropriate recycling schemes.
Blue bins can at present can be used for:
Possible additions to blue bin collections include:
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all grades of cardboard, including brown and corrugated;
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plastic bottles
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greetings cards and paper
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aluminium and steel food and drink containers, including aerosols
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plastic food containers
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aluminium foil
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Tetrapack drinks containers
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Textiles
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domestic household batteries
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small domestic electrical items like toasters, kettles and hair straighteners
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