Second Domestic Bin Review 2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 19 December 2024
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 19 December 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES 19 DECEMBER 2024 SECOND DOMESTIC BIN REVIEW 2024 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 At the Environmental, Development and Infrastructure Committee in June 2024, a report was considered which focused on the possibility of reducing the number of second green bins households have. Green bins are used to collect general waste which is currently landfilled or in the PPP contract area processed to achieve landfill diversion with a reduced volume of residual material being landfilled – this will soon change when the Biodegradable Municipal Waste ban is introduced when all domestic general waste (green bin) material will have to be processed as Energy for Waste (EfW) feedstock or another non-landfill alternative treatment 1.2 In 2016, through an efficiency savings process the Council introduced 3 weekly general waste collections. In order to support this policy decision, a procedure was agreed at Council in June 2016 which included a number of operational policy positions related to refuse collection. 1.3 This procedure sets out the criteria for consideration of a second general waste bin which are: • There are five or more people in your household • Someone in your household has a medical condition which means more waste is generated 1.4 Following this document being agreed, the medical waste criteria has evolved to include children in nappies. This has become custom and practice across the Council area for some years now with the customer contact centre and area operational teams widely accepting second bin requests for families with children in nappies. 1.5 The June 2024 Second Domestic Bin Review report was based on the agreed 2016 procedure when in fact that position had changed. This report seeks approval from Members for officers to carry out an online consultation exercise regarding second bins and the criteria that should be considered for these. Paper copies of the consultation will be available in the Council’s Customer Service Points for any person who is not able to complete the consultation online. The report also provides an update on the review of second bins.
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2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 It is recommended that members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:- 2.1.1 Agree that officers carry out an online consultation exercise regarding second bins, over a 4 week period in the new year. The criteria that should be considered for these, with the detail of the consultation, being delegated to the Executive Director with overall responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services, in consultation with the Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Services; 2.1.2 Agree that the second domestic bin review be paused to allow consultation to be undertaken on future eligibility of second bins; and 2.1.3 Note that a report on the outcome of the consultation will be brough back to a future Committee. 3.0 DETAIL 3.1 In June 2016, the Council considered a report proposing an operational service procedure and which provided operational detail to support the Policy that the Council agreed at its meeting on 11 February 2016 as part of Service Choices. The full report can be viewed here: ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL (argyll-bute.gov.uk). 3.2 Disposal of general waste has both environmental and cost implications. Whilst the existing PPP contract for part of Argyll and Bute processes material via a Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plant (which takes out of the waste stream some materials which can be recycled or composted), this process is expensive and is not an approved treatment type beyond the BMW Ban. Reducing the amount of general waste, principally by increasing recycling, reduces both environmental impacts and financial costs. As such we don’t encourage the use of second green bins, instead focusing on recycling with second recycling bins being provided for free. However, we understand that, for some households a second general waste bin may be needed. Generally speaking we will consider a second green bin if: • There are five or more people in your household • Someone in the household has a medical condition which means more waste is generated 3.3 Following this document being agreed in 2016, the medical waste criteria has evolved to include children in nappies. This has since been custom and practice across the Council area. 3.4 A sample of requests for second domestic bins between 2021 to current date confirms there have been 1457 requests for a second bin approved in total, 604 of these for families with children in nappies. A breakdown of the figures
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for second bins for households with children in nappies by area within Argyll and Bute is shown below: • Oban, Lorn and the Isles: 163 • Mid Argyll Kintyre and the Islands: 150 • Bute and Cowal: 113 • Helensburgh and Lomond: 178 The above figures demonstrate there is a demand for additional bins for households with children in nappies. 3.5 As part of the ongoing second domestic bin review, we have begun the process of contacting households who are known to have a second bin. However, this was based on the approved policy position (the two criteria in the original procedure). This has highlighted that in practise, the additional criteria of children in nappies has been applied and it is recommended that the second bin procedure, informed by an online survey which will be carried out over a 4 week period in the new year, be reported back to a future Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee for consideration by Members. 3.6 Whilst some households have indicated they no longer need a second green bin, it is proposed that the second domestic bin review is paused to allow the consultation and procedure review. 4.0 CONCLUSION 4.1 This report seeks agreement to pause the review of second domestic bins to allow for an online consultation over a 4 week period to be carried out in the new year regarding eligibility criteria, with a report on the outcome of that being brought back to a future meeting of this Committee. 5.0 IMPLICATIONS 5.1 Policy – As per the Policy agreed in June 2016 at the introduction of 3 weekly waste collections. 5.2 Financial – It is expected that there will be future waste collection and disposal savings as a result of this exercise. 5.3 Legal – None known. 5.4 HR – None known. 5.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: None known. 5.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics – None known. 5.5.2 Socio-economic Duty: None known. 5.5.3 Islands – None known.
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5.6 Climate Change – Reducing waste currently processed for landfill and increasing recycling. There should also be a slight reduction in fuel used for vehicles used in the waste collection and disposal process. 5.7 Risk – Representation from individuals who may lose a second bin service. 5.8 Customer Service – Residents may have become dependent on their second general waste bin. Detailed communications will need to be carried out to keep citizens involved with this proposal and the reasons it is being progressed. 5.9 The Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – refuse collection and recycling can have environmental benefits and contribute to the positive future of young people. Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services, Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Roads, Amenity and Transport, Councillor John Armour November 2024 For further information contact: Tom Murphy, Operations Manager Tom.Murphy@argyll-bute.gov.uk