A verbal update 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. 

In response to queries raised at the last meeting the Waste Strategy Manager informed the Panel that a list of what could and could not be included in recycling bins had been included in the latest guide to recycling (at Councillor Yong’s request).  It was noted that with regard to stickers being included on the outside of recycling bins they were felt would be unsightly when outside residential properties but could possibly be used inside the bin lid as a trialled approach.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that the stickers themselves were quite costly at approximately £1 per sticker compared to 12pence a leaflet but could possibly be used as a trialled approach in a reactive way e.g. if someone was not regularly recycling properly.  Councillor Yong requested that an additional trial took place in an area that had the do’s and don’t’s stickers used on the bins to see if the stickers had helped improve recycling in the area.  Councillor Yong re-iterated that she believed a sticker would help remind people about what they could and could not recycle rather than a leaflet and that she believed the long-term benefits of using stickers would be huge.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that contamination was something her team were concentrating on and that she would ask her Manager whether a trial was possible.  Councillor Yong suggested that Bouldish Farm would be a good area to trial as it had a mix of properties.  The Waste Strategy Manager thanked Councillor Yong for her suggestion and agreed to ask the Councils contractor to see if this was an area of recycling concern.        

Councillor Sharp informed the Panel that when he had been in South Africa the person that had been house sitting his house had informed him that his bin had been taken away.  It was later returned full of grass with a blue label attached without a reason for the refusal.  The Panel was informed that Councillor Sharp had spent about an hour speaking to Naomi’s Manager explaining that whilst he fully accepted people put the wrong things in the wrong bins Veolia needed to make it clear why the bin was not being collected.  The Waste Strategy Manager agreed to follow this up with Veolia and stated that the refusal labels had been updated to include extra detail and would be used once the current supply had run out.  It was noted that the Council did not collect cut grass / garden waste in the usual rubbish bins as they were able to charge for it.  It was noted that residents of the Borough could either hire a green bin for £35 per annum, go to Stafferton Way or use a compost bin.      

The Waste Strategy Manager informed Members that with regard to the new textile collections the Council was still looking to get the cages installed onto the recycling vehicles as per the original plan.  It was noted that the Council was a couple of Health and Safety issues away from being able to use the cages which the new Fleet Manager had been asked to look at.  The Waste Strategy Manager informed the Panel that the number of missed collections were felt to be quite low with around 60-75 bags of textiles being collected on an average day.  The Panel was informed that the Council was not intending to distribute textile sacks within the Royal Borough as it would be a very costly exercise but would deliver a recycling bag when Veolia collected some recycling.  Members were informed that the Council was looking to source some bright lilac recycling bags, instead of bright pink as suggested at the last meeting which had been harder to source.  The Waste Strategy Manager explained that the Council did not want to insist these recycling bags were used as they did not want to create a barrier to textile recycling.  It was noted that once the cages had been installed the contractor could keep the replacement sacks in the vehicles. 

Councillor Yong informed the Waste Strategy Manager that her textile recycling had been missed on numerous occasions.  It was suggested that the textile recycling bags be placed on top of the bin as there was only one operative in the recycling vehicle which meant that they did not communicate with other recycling vehicles en-route.  Councillor Yong re-iterated that she felt bright recycling bags would help the contractors identify the bags being left out for collection and that she now preferred the sound of the lilac sacks. 

The Waste Strategy Manager informed the Panel that this could be re-looked at when the contract expired and that battery recycling could also be looked at then.  It was noted that sacks could not be used as the recycling was compressed and Veolia were unable to pull out the sacks at the recycling venue.

The Waste Strategy Manager went onto inform the Panel that limitations had been introduced in February at the recycling sites in the Royal Borough which seemed to be working well.  It was noted that the recycling sites had been limited to use by residents of the Royal Borough only who had been advised to take with them their yellow advantage cards for proof.  Members were advised that people living outside the Borough had been advised to use their own recycling sites.  Councillor Yong informed the Panel that in Bracknell residents were issued with one permit per household which would be why people were travelling further from home to recycle their rubbish.   

The Chairman thanked the Waste Strategy Manager for her update and stated that she and the Panel looked forward to receiving an update at the next meeting either in a written or verbal format.