Second Domestic Bin Review 2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 21 March 2024
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 21 March 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 21 MARCH 2024 SECOND DOMESTIC BIN REVIEW 2024 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The existing policy for second domestic bins (green bins which take general waste) came into place in 2016 and there has been limited opportunity for this to be reviewed since its introduction. A review may provide an opportunity to reduce the numbers of households receiving a second domestic waste bin collection, who are not entitled to receive this service. 1.2 With the Biodegradable Municipal Landfill Ban (BMW) coming into place in January 2026, the advancement in technology and the Council introducing route optimisation, now is considered to be a good time to consider a review of all second domestic bins to all householders in all areas of Argyll and Bute’s waste collection service. 1.3 The Council, working with Zero Waste Scotland, are carrying out waste composition analysis which will identify the types and percentages of material being disposed of in the general waste stream. This exercise will help to inform campaigns to increase recycling and therefore reduce some of the material which is currently ending up in the general waste system. 2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee: 2.1 Agree to a review being progressed with further information regarding publicity and a timeframe being reported back to the June 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) and the service procedure is appended to this report at Appendix 1.
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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 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. As such we don’t encourage the use of second green bins because our focus is on recycling, however, we understand that, for some people, 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 your household has a medical condition which means more waste is generated By contrast second blue bins (for co-mingled recyclable materials excluding glass) are available free to all households who are producing more recycling material than will fit in a single bin. 3.3 Officers propose to carry out a second domestic bin review, this will ensure that only those households who meet the criteria have a second domestic general waste bin collected. This should also reduce the amount of general waste collected and in theory increase the amount of recyclable material collected. These changes are likely to facilitate changes to future collection routes. This review, coupled with additional information relating to recycling, will be designed to reduce general domestic waste and increase recycling. 3.4 The purpose of this exercise would be to review all recorded second domestic waste bins and establish if the household are still eligible for a second bin uplift. Where the Policy criteria is not met, we will confirm to residents that only one bin will be lifted in the future. It should be noted that whilst some second bins have been provided by the Council, a number of bins have been purchased directly by residents from other suppliers. This exercise will identify where second bins fall within Policy and those which do not. 3.5 Prior to the roll out of the review, there will be a social media campaign and additional information added to the Council’s website explaining that the review of second domestic bins is being progressed to reduce the amount of general waste having to be collected, encourage recycling percentages to be increased and to make both environmental and financial savings. 3.6 Given that the Council collect bins from over 48,000 households, this process will be complex, although, with the introduction of the route optimisation system it should be easier to identify locations where second bins are eligible for collection. Where second bins are presented, but not eligible for collection, residents will be notified and ultimately these second general waste bins will not be collected. Further reports will be brought back to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee detailing progress of this exercise. 3.7 The Service have been working closely with colleagues in the Council’s Customer Engagement and Transformational Team to create a new function that will allow automatic reviews for the need for a second domestic waste bin to take place at the appropriate date of the customer’s review. This will cause minimal disruption in the
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future with more manageable workloads for both the Customer Services Contact Centre and Operations Administration Team. Stage Completion Date Ongoing liaison with Customer Services via a workshop session regarding possibilities and to also understand current levels of demand Commenced and ongoing Updating of records for all approved second green bins, where possible due diligence on ongoing eligibility for second green bins Commenced and ongoing Publicity and timeframe for roll out to be prepared June EDI Committee Publicity campaign advising of any agreed output from EDI Committee To commence following EDI Committee June 2024 Checking and verifying of second green bins and where second bins are not eligible July 2024 onwards Estimated completion date tbc – this will be dependent on the number of unauthorised second bins, resourcing and prioritisation of other competing demands. Further information to be included in June EDI report. Rollout of notification for any non-approved second green bins and actively managing this through the deployment of warden resource. Further detail of process and proposals to be reported to June EDI Committee. Estimated start October 2024 Completion date to be confirmed pending no. of unauthorised second green bins to be dealt with. 4.0 CONCLUSION 4.1 This report proposes that a review of second bins is carried out and in line with the Policy agreed in June 2016. Non-eligible second domestic bins will cease to be collected. This will help to reduce the amount of domestic waste presented at kerbside, encourage residents to increase recycling and reduce the amount of material which is currently processed for landfill. 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.
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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. 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, Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Ross Moreland 5th February 2024 For further information contact: Jim Smith, Head of Road and Infrastructure Services Jim.Smith@argyll-bute.gov.uk Tom Murphy, Operations Manager Tom.Murphy@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Three Weekly Refuse Collection Service Procedure