By the Waste Strategy Manager (Naomi Markham).

The Chairman welcomed the Waste Strategy Manager, Naomi Markham, to the meeting and invited her to update the Panel.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that the main bulk of the rolling campaign with regard to flats where bins were not labelled up well in bin stores would be completed by the end of the week (approximately 700 flats across the Royal Borough).  It was noted that it was now clear which bin was for what and what should and should not go in the bins.  The Waste Manager explained the flat residents had been left with a recycling storage bag which had worked well in London Boroughs.   It was noted that the campaign was also to target the correct bin capacities for flats within the Royal Borough and where possible excess waste bins had been swapped for recycling bins.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that there had been about a 25% contact rate to date officers would be going out again door knocking. It was noted that the contamination rates had been looked at in order to help reduce contamination levels.

The Waste Strategy Manager informed Members that textile collections had started on the 14 November 2016 from kerbside properties.  Members were informed that there was a great range of charity shops in the UK so the Council was encouraging people to bag up and label textiles they no longer wanted so they could be collected.  It was noted that lower quality textiles could be recycled to wool, etc if they could not be re-used and were often sent outside of the UK. 

The Waste Strategy Manager informed the Panel that she had been pleased to see the increase in the volume of food waste collected over the last 10 months (since the campaign had finished at the end of December) of 35% being maintained. 

                        In the ensuing discussion, the following points were noted:  

·           That there were no financial implications to residents regarding textile contamination in bins at present.

·           That the Veolia contract was due for renewal in April 2019. 

·           That educating residents regarding recycling and contamination issues did help the Council in the long-term.

·           That the food waste bags were still available to residents from all Royal Borough libraries, the receptions in the Town Hall in Maidenhead and York House in Windsor.

·           That the Council was still not meeting the guaranteed minimum tonnage requirements listed in the food waste contract.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained to Members that she was currently in discussions with Veolia to see if there were options to fill it with some commercial food waste and to reduce packaging.  It was noted that discussions were also taking place with Re3 to see whether neighbouring authorities could help fill capacity.  

·           That in 2014/15 there was only a 22% capture rate with regard to food waste in the Royal Borough.

·           Councillor Sharp suggested that a new system ‘Pyrolysis’ be looked into for the Royal Borough in the future.

Councillor Sharp requested that the Waste Strategy Manager emailed the Clerk accurate food waste collection figures (not in a percentage format) so that they could be attached to the minutes.

The Chairman thanked the Waste Strategy Manager for her update and stated that she looked forward to receiving an update at the next meeting.