Agenda item

Provision of Future Countywide Waste Services

(To receive a report which sets out the expected srategic issues which could have an effect on future waste services)

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report which provided the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership with an update on the progression of the Mixed Dry Recycling (MDR) contract, including the Waste Collection Authorities (WCA) proposal to reduce the contamination levels.

 

It was confirmed that LCC had extended the present MDR contract with Mid UK to the 31 March 2020, due to the tight contract timescales, little opportunity to reduce the contamination before tendering, no guarantee of any responses to a new tender, the soft market testing needing to be more strategically outcome focused and to be considered in tandem with the developing Waste Strategy considerations.

 

Members were advised that this decision allowed the LWP more time to collaboratively manage the MDR and to achieve the best outcomes for the people of Lincolnshire.

 

Partners were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         Concerns were raised from a partnership angle, as it was believed that the Partnership had agreed a process where strategic decisions would be discussed by the LWP before going back to individual authorities.  However, it was commented that the Partnership had a long discussion at the last meeting, where it was concluded that it would be better to delay the tender for a new contract.  At this time, the districts still had a problem with contamination and the County Council was required to deal with the waste as presented.

·         The longer that no action was taken on contamination, the harder it would be to change people's behaviour in the future.

·         The costs associated with disposing of contaminated recycling and how they were calculated was discussed.  It was requested that a report be brought to a future meeting which explained what all the fees were and how they were calculated.

·         Concerns were expressed regarding the possibility that the approach of the LWP to contamination in dry recycling might be seen to be driven by short-term financial implications and EfW capacity issues rather than the need to optimise recyclable material quality.  In the longer term, when re-tendering the contract, unless contamination levels were significantly reduced there was a significant risk in two areas – the likelihood of attracting tenders at all and the potential for a very high gate fee.

·         Partners were advised that the decision regarding the MDR contract was an operational decision, and now the Partnership had 3 years to look at the issues around contamination and start to deal with them.

·         It was noted that mixed dry recyclables did not go to the Energy from Waste facility.

·         There was an increased drive towards commercialisation.  South Holland had a partner council whose view of the world was very different to theirs and were a commercially minded council, and the danger was that they could become so focused on money that the bigger picture was lost.  There was a need to find a balance.  

·         There was a need for caution regarding the WRAP report, as although it was a positive thing and would provide some useful information, it would have limited scope and would not provide answers to some of the questions raised previously.

·         It was suggested that the main focus of the meeting in June should be around the waste strategy and how it could be implemented.

·         It was queried what happened to contaminated loads, and partners were advised that it was turned into solid derived fuel as Mid UK had a policy to send zero waste to landfill.

·         It was queried if the contamination rate was going up, were Mid UK making more money from converting the contaminated recycling into fuel.  Partners were advised that an independent assessment had been carried out with an agreed methodology which officers had observed.

·         It was commented that there was strategy on one side and operational contracts on the other.  The end date for the strategy to be completed was summer 2018.  However, East Lindsey's new fleet of collection vehicles would come in in 2019.  The collection arrangements would be dependent on what was set out in the Strategy.  There was a need for there to be vision alongside the Strategy, as the districts would need to ensure they had the right infrastructure in place to deliver it.

·         There was a need to get the timescales fixed and there may be an opportunity to do some joint procurement.

·         Representatives from South Kesteven had taken reports back to their authority regarding the need to sort out the contamination issue, by lifting bins lids and not collecting contaminated bins, but it was queried whether this was still the right thing to do. 

·         It was queried whether if contamination was reduced if this would mean that more waste went to the EfW which would then cost the county council more in gate fees.  It was suggested that this would be discussed further through the Officer Working Group.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    That the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership notes the issues detailed in the report.

2.    That the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership acknowledges the LCC decision to extend the MDR contract to 31 March 2020.

3.    That a report be brought back to a future meeting in relation to the costs associated with disposal of contaminated recycling loads.

Supporting documents:

  • Restricted enclosure

 

 
 
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