Council starts to consider proposals for new waste collection contract

Waste collections: although it is three years before the current waste collection contract finishes, the Council is starting the long process of considering what sort of contract it will want after that time.

The Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered a report by its working group at its meeting of 27 October at which the following recommendations were made:

• The current fortnightly segregated kerbside recycling collections are changed to a weekly frequency in order to improve recycling performance.
• The current kerbside recycling containers (bags and boxes) are retained.
• Extra recycling containers are made available on request, at no cost to residents, in order to maintain high value recyclables.
• Food waste is collected at the kerbside on a weekly basis, with a separate kerbside container and kitchen caddie provided to residents.
• Food waste is processed through an Anaerobic Digestion process.
• In order to reduce waste and improve recycling rates, the current weekly kerbside residual collections are moved to a fortnightly frequency.
• The kerbside collection of residual waste is restricted to 180 litres maximum (typically two full black sacks), with a ‘no side waste’ policy introduced.
• A strategic high-level review of the Integrated Waste Management Contract is undertaken.
• The opportunities for receiving additional waste from out of Cornwall at the Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre is explored as a means of mitigating cost and capacity issues.
• All Cornwall Council household recycling banks are removed.

The recommendations will be considered at the Cabinet meeting on 15 November. If accepted by the Cabinet, the proposals will start through a process of public consultation.

October 2017