Agenda item

To receive an update on the progress made by the re3 project since the Joint Waste Disposal Board’s last meeting on 22 March 2012

The Board received a report providing an update on progress made since its last meeting on 22 March 2012.  The report included updates on: Environment Agency guidance on street sweepings and gully emptyings, the contractor rebrand, the mini-MRF and retail outlet, Oxfordshire County Council’s Minerals and Waste Core Strategy, support to neighbouring authorities during the Olympics and a financial update.

Recently issued guidance from the Environment Agency stipulated that waste material collected in the course of street cleaning and gully clearing should no longer be considered appropriate for composting.  The practical effect of implementing this guidance would for each re3 Council result in a reduction in recycling rates of between 1.18% and 3.50% and additional costs of between £28,000 and £103,000.

The Board noted that any material collected during street cleaning and gully clearing was sorted and pre treated before it was sent for composting and the basis for the Environment Agency’s guidance was questioned.  It was felt that as the waste was pretreated ready for composting this advice seemed to be an over reaction.  The timing of the advice was also considered inappropriate as it created mid term budget pressures.  The status of the advice was questioned and it was established as being guidance and not legislation.  Theoretically, therefore it could still be possible to compost the waste without incorporating the results into the recycling statistics.  However it was acknowledged that processors would be reluctant to go against the guidance if it placed their licences at risk.

It was agreed that a letter would be sent by the Board’s Chairman to the Environment Agency, and the MP’s covering the re3 Councils, setting out reasons why the guidance should be revised.

Waste Recycling Group (WRG) Ltd, the PFI contractor, had recently undergone a rebranding exercise and had now been renamed as FCC Environment (UK) Ltd.  The Board expressed concern over the implications that this might have for the contracts held with re3 and it was agreed that clarification of the legal implications of the rebranding exercise would be sought.

Officers were still seeking clarification and negotiating on a number of issues identified within the Contractor’s business case for the Mini-MRF and Retail Outlet.  Whilst alternative arrangements to that originally proposed have been put in place the contract went without such costed alternatives for some years.

A submission had been made in response to Oxfordshire County Council’s Minerals and Waste Core Strategy consultation.  Any feedback received would be circulated to the Board.

The Project Team had been approached by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead over the possibility of providing additional support to the Borough during the Olympic Games, in the event of there being an emergency affecting their ability to access their waste transfer station during the Olympics.  A costed package of help, that would enable the re3 authorities to continue operating as normal, had been suggested and a response was awaited.

RESOLVED that:

1. Officers be instructed to draft a response from the Chairman to send to the Environment Agency and local MPs and copied to the LGA strongly expressing Board concerns over the recently issued guidance on street sweepings and gully emptyings and making clear the case for their continuing use for composting
2. Officers be instructed to provide clarification of the Mini-MRF project and the legal implications of the WRG’s rebranding and renaming to the next meeting of the Board