Waste Options Consultation Response
Oct. 1st, 2017 04:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susanreads posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
colchesterfoeWaste Management,
Colchester Borough Council,
Town Hall,
High Street,
Colchester.
Waste Options Consultation
Response from Colchester Friends of the Earth
The four rubbish options which have been produced for consultation are too woolly and unspecific. Three propose fortnightly collections of 'refuse' which will inevitably bring in ugly wheelie bins after lots of hype about rats and bags left out on wrong weeks etc.
Option B is what we have now plus weekly foodwaste collection, yet they say that recycling would only rise by 3% from the current 37%. This is not credible, as food waste collections increase recycling levels hugely.
Govt-funded WRAP reports have shown that collecting recyclables separately, sorted at the kerb, is cheaper to run and brings the highest income for quality materials.
The two things which increase recycling most are proven to be weekly collections of all recyclables and enough boxes and reusable bags to put separate materials in. This was mentioned in the long and confusing Options Appraisal document.
It has been reported that other options would be considered. Here is our suggested Option E to be considered for the waste consultation:
1. Weekly collections of everything, to make it easy for people and spread collection of materials and garden waste evenly for baling and composting. This was what we had during the Mersea area trial which reached 60% recycling back in 2002 and was supposed to be rolled out across the borough. There was 80%+ participation with recycling at least one material and 98% satisfaction.
2. Enough kerbside boxes and reusable bags to put the separated materials in.
3. Weekly separate food waste bucket collections which can be used to produce compost and electricity or gas for home heating in local AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plants; a Tendring farmer wants to set one up, an AD plant is being proposed for Halstead and we understand an AD company has a proposed site at Witham. Food waste can be sent to InVessel (enclosed) Composting (IVC) plants until the AD plants are built.
4. Proper separated kerbside collections sorted at the kerb and baled locally, including paper separately from card to maximise quality and bring high income to supply our UK reprocessors. We need to collect separated glass colours as we used to do, to save huge amounts of energy and receive highest prices. Plastic bottles are a higher quality and price than 'mixed plastics' such as yoghurt pots, and should be collected separately.
The report on 'Sale of Recyclable Materials' by Dave McManus to the FAS panel meeting on 24th February 2008 showed the very low prices received for the mixed collections compared to very high prices paid for separated materials.
5. Use suitable collection vehicles to replace the disastrous and costly 'split' vehicles which cannot cope with separated materials and are heavy fuel-users.
Two independent consultants advised CBC to buy back the flexible vehicles we used before, particularly the 'Fame' vehicles with separate stillages which can collect the separated glass colours and metals. Light materials such as plastics can be collected in light basketback trucks. Garden waste and 'black bag rubbish' can be collected in simple compactors which can deliver the different materials to the correct sites.
6. No wheelie bins.
These are a costly and slow system with heavy fuel usage, which is the real reason they bring in alternate weekly collections to save costs. 40% of housing is unsuitable for wheelie bins - such as terraced Tudor or Victorian homes, or homes on a hill where they are too heavy to drag up bumpy paths. They are an eyesore in historic or attractive areas, especially when left in front of small homes all the time because there is nowhere to store them.
Our CBC offices reported to the Clean & Green panel that there are more injuries to householders and binmen from wheelie bins than black bag and recycling box collections. It should also be noted that the contents of wheelie bins are hidden, so contamination of contents is frequent. Ipswich officers reported a six-figure sum cost for contaminated commingled recyclables.
The worst use of wheelie bins is for recyclables, where the 'commingled' mixed materials are contaminated, particularly paper, and lose value. They are collected and compressed in the compactors and have to be transported to MRFs (Materials Recycling Facilities) to be sorted out again, wasting energy. The low-grade materials lost their overseas markets in the slump last year. 10-15% is unsaleable and is dumped or burnt.
Our current garden waste reusable bags can be tipped into a simple compactor truck and any contamination can be seen and rejected - unlike the contents of a wheelie bin which are hidden.
Why would we want a wheelie bin for residual rubbish - what rubbish? If Colchester residents recycle their paper, card, glass, cans, plastic bottles and mixed plastics and rags and put out their garden waste for composting or use their home composters - what is left? Tetrapaks are being taken to the supermarkets for recycling when shopping. Soon they can put out food waste if they have any - quite a lot of CFoE people don't have any food waste after home composting and feeding the birds and pets!
Yours sincerely,
Paula Whitney, Co-ordinator,
Colchester Friends of the Earth,
4 Shears Crescent, West Mersea, CO5 8AR.
Colchester Borough Council,
Town Hall,
High Street,
Colchester.
Waste Options Consultation
Response from Colchester Friends of the Earth
The four rubbish options which have been produced for consultation are too woolly and unspecific. Three propose fortnightly collections of 'refuse' which will inevitably bring in ugly wheelie bins after lots of hype about rats and bags left out on wrong weeks etc.
Option B is what we have now plus weekly foodwaste collection, yet they say that recycling would only rise by 3% from the current 37%. This is not credible, as food waste collections increase recycling levels hugely.
Govt-funded WRAP reports have shown that collecting recyclables separately, sorted at the kerb, is cheaper to run and brings the highest income for quality materials.
The two things which increase recycling most are proven to be weekly collections of all recyclables and enough boxes and reusable bags to put separate materials in. This was mentioned in the long and confusing Options Appraisal document.
It has been reported that other options would be considered. Here is our suggested Option E to be considered for the waste consultation:
1. Weekly collections of everything, to make it easy for people and spread collection of materials and garden waste evenly for baling and composting. This was what we had during the Mersea area trial which reached 60% recycling back in 2002 and was supposed to be rolled out across the borough. There was 80%+ participation with recycling at least one material and 98% satisfaction.
2. Enough kerbside boxes and reusable bags to put the separated materials in.
3. Weekly separate food waste bucket collections which can be used to produce compost and electricity or gas for home heating in local AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plants; a Tendring farmer wants to set one up, an AD plant is being proposed for Halstead and we understand an AD company has a proposed site at Witham. Food waste can be sent to InVessel (enclosed) Composting (IVC) plants until the AD plants are built.
4. Proper separated kerbside collections sorted at the kerb and baled locally, including paper separately from card to maximise quality and bring high income to supply our UK reprocessors. We need to collect separated glass colours as we used to do, to save huge amounts of energy and receive highest prices. Plastic bottles are a higher quality and price than 'mixed plastics' such as yoghurt pots, and should be collected separately.
The report on 'Sale of Recyclable Materials' by Dave McManus to the FAS panel meeting on 24th February 2008 showed the very low prices received for the mixed collections compared to very high prices paid for separated materials.
5. Use suitable collection vehicles to replace the disastrous and costly 'split' vehicles which cannot cope with separated materials and are heavy fuel-users.
Two independent consultants advised CBC to buy back the flexible vehicles we used before, particularly the 'Fame' vehicles with separate stillages which can collect the separated glass colours and metals. Light materials such as plastics can be collected in light basketback trucks. Garden waste and 'black bag rubbish' can be collected in simple compactors which can deliver the different materials to the correct sites.
6. No wheelie bins.
These are a costly and slow system with heavy fuel usage, which is the real reason they bring in alternate weekly collections to save costs. 40% of housing is unsuitable for wheelie bins - such as terraced Tudor or Victorian homes, or homes on a hill where they are too heavy to drag up bumpy paths. They are an eyesore in historic or attractive areas, especially when left in front of small homes all the time because there is nowhere to store them.
Our CBC offices reported to the Clean & Green panel that there are more injuries to householders and binmen from wheelie bins than black bag and recycling box collections. It should also be noted that the contents of wheelie bins are hidden, so contamination of contents is frequent. Ipswich officers reported a six-figure sum cost for contaminated commingled recyclables.
The worst use of wheelie bins is for recyclables, where the 'commingled' mixed materials are contaminated, particularly paper, and lose value. They are collected and compressed in the compactors and have to be transported to MRFs (Materials Recycling Facilities) to be sorted out again, wasting energy. The low-grade materials lost their overseas markets in the slump last year. 10-15% is unsaleable and is dumped or burnt.
Our current garden waste reusable bags can be tipped into a simple compactor truck and any contamination can be seen and rejected - unlike the contents of a wheelie bin which are hidden.
Why would we want a wheelie bin for residual rubbish - what rubbish? If Colchester residents recycle their paper, card, glass, cans, plastic bottles and mixed plastics and rags and put out their garden waste for composting or use their home composters - what is left? Tetrapaks are being taken to the supermarkets for recycling when shopping. Soon they can put out food waste if they have any - quite a lot of CFoE people don't have any food waste after home composting and feeding the birds and pets!
Yours sincerely,
Paula Whitney, Co-ordinator,
Colchester Friends of the Earth,
4 Shears Crescent, West Mersea, CO5 8AR.
