Garden Waste Permit Collection Scheme
Renfrewshire Council · 24 May 2023
Back to Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board — 24 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board On: 24 May 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Garden Waste Permit Collection Scheme ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 At the Council Meeting of 2 March 2023, the Council approved the introduction of a garden waste permit collection scheme, and a further report would be brought to the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Board which would set out the operational policy supporting the introduction of the scheme. 1.2 This report sets out how the garden waste permit collection scheme will operate for residents and details the communications campaign that will support the introduction of the permit scheme to support elected members, communities and residents. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended the Infrastructure Land and Environment Policy Board: 2.1 Notes the content of this report and the introduction of a Garden Waste Permit Collection Scheme from 10th July 2023 for the uplift and dispose of garden waste from Households. 2.2 Approves the operational policy as set out in sections 4 and 5 of this report ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background Information 3.1 Local authorities in Scotland do not have a statutory requirement to provide a household garden waste collection service under the general duty applicable to
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2 local authorities, through the ‘Environmental Protection Act’ (1990) and the ‘Waste (Scotland) Regulations’ 2012. 3.2 Following the budget setting process for 2023/24, half of all Scottish Councils have now implemented or approved implementation of a permit scheme for the collection of household garden waste service. A further six Council’s don’t provide a discretionary household garden waste service. 3.3 Food waste will continue to be collected fortnightly from households in their brown bins. Key messaging within the communications leaflets being issued to householders will also encourage a greater and sustained uptake of food waste recycling. __________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Operational Policy 4.1 Households who wish their garden waste collected in their brown bin will require to have a valid waste collection permit displayed on their bin. Placement on the bin will indicate to collection crews that garden waste is entitled to be present in the bin for collection. 4.2 Any brown bin presented with garden waste within it that does not display a valid garden waste collection permit on the bin, will not be collected from the kerbside following a period of education and support to householders. 4.3 Residents who have a valid garden waste collection permit should continue to present their food waste along with their garden waste in their brown bin for collection on a fortnightly basis. 4.4 The permit system is based on one permit per brown bin, at a cost of £40 per brown bin. 4.5 The waste collection permit will be valid from 1st April to the 31st March year, with households required to apply annually for a garden waste collection permit if they wish garden waste collected from their household. Food Waste 4.6 There is no requirement for a permit for households presenting food waste only for collection in their brown bin, as this is a statutory requirement for Council’s to uplift food waste for recycling from households. 4.7 All brown bins presented at the kerbside that have food waste only in them will be collected as the per the current arrangements on a fortnightly basis. 4.8 Garden waste should not be placed in the brown bin by householders without a permit on display. Exemptions 4.9 The garden waste collection scheme will offer an exemption to payment for those householders entitled to Full Council Tax Reduction (FCTR) and/or Severe Mental Impairment (SMI). 4.10 Exempt households who wish to participate in the scheme, will be able for exemption through the application form, which will be then validated by the Council.
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3 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCS) 4.11 Householders who reside in Renfrewshire can continue to bring their household garden waste for disposal and recycling to one of Renfrewshire’s 5 HWRCS at no charge to the householder. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Support for Residents 5.1 The waste advisor service will be supporting householders to understand the implications and to participate in the garden waste permit collection scheme if they wish to do so. At all times, this will be very much a supportive approach to help householders to comply with the Garden Waste Permit Collection Scheme. 5.2 Officers will be monitoring contamination levels within this waste stream and supporting collection crews to ensure garden waste is not being presented within other waste streams, In addition, officers will focus in areas of reported non- compliance. 5.3 The Council’s Environmental Taskforce will also support the introduction of the garden waste collection permit scheme by investigating any incidences of fly- tipping of garden waste. That said, the evidence from other local authorities who have already implemented a Garden Waste Permit Scheme indicates that an increase in garden waste fly tipping hasn’t been an issue across the country. 5.4 If the householder’s bin contains garden waste and they don’t have a Garden Waste Permit affixed, then they will receive one of 2 tags which will be attached by the Waste service to the bin. The tag used will depend on the circumstances presented to the service. The tags will detail the following: • For the first collection following implementation from 10 July, if any garden waste has been put into the brown bin without a garden waste collection permit, it will be lifted. However, if you wish your garden waste to be uplifted thereafter, then please apply for a Garden Waste Permit; • Garden waste has been put into another household recycling bin (i.e., residual; plastic, glass & cans; or paper & card), this is now contaminated waste, and the bin will not be uplifted until the contamination has been removed. __________________________________________________________________ 6 Garden waste Collection Permit Service - Implementation 6.1 Week beginning the 29th May an information leaflet will be posted to households in Renfrewshire currently in receipt of a brown bin collection to inform them about the introduction of the garden waste permit collection scheme and how to apply. 6.2 On Thursday 25th May 2023, the Council’s digital channels and website will start to promote the scheme and allow applications to be made by householders. The Council’s website will be supported by a Frequently Asked Questions section. 6.3 Householders will be able to apply for a Garden Waste Permit from Thursday 25th May 2023.
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4 6.4 From Monday 10 July 2023, the Garden Waste Permit Scheme will be implemented, when garden waste will only be collected from households with a valid garden waste collection permit affixed to their brown bin. 6.5 Information and engagement sessions have been arranged for elected members. Attendance at the Joint Community Council forum and contact has been made with all Community Councils and Local Partnerships for attendance. The service is happy to support any other community events that it is invited along too. 6.6 An application form has been developed that will allow customers to purchase their permit online or by phoning the customer contact centre. There will be paper application forms available for residents to submit to the customer contact centre available in Renfrewshire’s libraries and customer contact centres in Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone. 6.7 The permits themselves will be printed on a weatherproof material which to affix to their bins. The content of each permit will include the Council logo, the address of the householder and a unique identifying number to reduce potential incidences of fraud. Details of how and where to affix the permit will be on the back of the permit. The permit should arrive with households within 10 days of applying to participate in the garden waste permit scheme. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial – The report reflects the decision taken at the budget meeting of March 2023 2. HR and Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – Attendance at the Community Council meeting and contact has been made with all community councils and local partnerships for attendance. 4. Legal – Legal Services have approved the Terms and Conditions supporting the online application process. 5. Property/Assets – N/A 6. Information Technology – N/A 7. Equality & Human Rights – An Impact Assessment has been undertaken by the Council’s Policy team which indicates that there are no significant negative impacts by implementing the policy. 8. Health and Safety – N/A 9. Procurement – A print contract has been procured to support garden waste permit collection permit for issue to householders.
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5 10. Risk – A full risk assessment has been undertaken prior to and throughout the project lifecycle. 11. Privacy Impact – N/A 12. Cosla Policy Position – N/A 13. Climate Risk – None List of Background Papers: None Author Gavin Hutton, Head of Operations and Infrastructure e-mail: gavin.hutton@renfrewshire.gov.uk