Agenda item
Waste Strategy Development
This report provides an update on the development of a revised Waste Strategy for Brent.
Minutes:
David Pietropaoli (Waste Policy Manager, Waste Management and Recycling Team, Environment and Culture) provided an update on the development of a revised Waste Strategy, a key Council priority and a Gold project as part of the One Council Improvement and Efficiency Action Plan 2010-2014. The revision would set out how the Council would meet the requirements of the new Waste Strategy for England and a business plan and case was in the process of being developed. Members heard that the strategy would also provide a framework of decisions on the management of municipal solid waste in Brent over the next 10 years and how it would conform to the zero waste vision set out by the West London Waste Authority (WLWA). David Pietropaoli then referred to the timetable for producing the strategy and Members noted that the process of preparing the strategy was complete, whilst self-assessment would be undertaken in November and December 2009. Clarification of the Council’s present situation would be undertaken during this time and the Select Committee noted that the Council would use London’s waste composition analysis in the absence of a Brent one. David Pietropaoli stated that a workshop involving WLWA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs would help identify future aims during January-February 2010, followed by consideration of how these aims would be achieved in March – May 2010. This would be followed by the revision of the headline strategy in May – June 2010, which would involve consultation with councillors and the public with a view to launching the revised strategy in September 2010. Members also heard that a workshop involving the Greater London Assembly was planned in December 2009 and that the WLWA was looking at new technologies in dealing with waste. David Pietropaoli confirmed that the strategy encompassed waste collection and street cleansing.
Councillor Van Colle (Lead Member for Environment, Planning and Culture) advised that this was a waste collection and street cleansing strategy and not a waste disposal strategy. He also advised that the WLWA’s vision was zero waste to landfill and not zero waste per se. Members heard that a recycling and compost rate of 70% was the theoretical maximum achievable, whilst the issue of Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) also needed to be resolved. The strategy needed to be considered in the context of the Mayor of London’s Waste Strategy which sought to address carbon emissions issues and the lack of available energy. Energy generation was another important consideration and there were presently no proposals in respect of this for the Wembley Regeneration area. Councillor Van Colle stated that it had been identified that there was a lack of bring sites in Brent and in West London in general and this needed to be addressed. Emerging technology in the way waste was collected also needed to be considered, such as autoclaving which baked waste and allowed collection of products that had not melted, such as plastics, to be extracted for recycling.
During discussion, the Chair commented that there was no mention of how commercial waste would be addressed and the issues such as reduction in packaging by retailers. He felt that a 70% recycling target lacked ambition and suggested that a more positive approach was required, stating that far higher recycling rates had been achieved in other cities such as Vienna whose recycling rate was approximately 98%. He queried the continued use of the incinerator plant at Brent Cross and whether it was intended to send most of the non-recycled waste to landfill or to an incinerator. The Chair continued that incinerators used a lot of energy and also produced toxic waste, with the resulting ash being sent to landfill. It was suggested that Friends of the Earth, Green Zones and Street Watch be invited to participate in any workshops held by the Council in developing the revised strategy. The Chair also spoke of the need to get the Brent community more involved generally with regard to the strategy. He also sought further details with regard to the involvement of councillors, savings targets and waste composition analysis.
In reply, Councillor Van Colle advised that the Mayor of London’s Waste Strategy addressed issues concerning commercial waste. Members heard that the Council had a contract still in force with the incinerator plant operators at Brent Cross and that it dealt with a proportion of non recyclable waste. Councillor Van Colle added that the heat produced by the incinerators could be used to generate energy in future.
David Pietropaoli added that policies to reduce waste and increase reuse would be identified and suitable actions put in place to achieve these. With regard to the workshops, he advised that these focused on technical issues at this stage and that it might be appropriate to include the organisations mentioned by the Chair in any workshops that were arranged at a later stage. However, Friends of the Earth and residents associations were to be consulted over the strategy. Members heard that WLWA had agreed to undertake waste composition analysis on behalf of all London authorities and that it would be affected by seasonal variations. It was noted that the Council did not have sufficient resources to undertake its own waste composition analysis. David Pietropaoli advised Members that savings of £1.2 million were required from waste collection and street cleansing activities as part of the Council’ Improvement and Efficiency Action Plan and that a business case was being prepared to specify where these savings would be made. Clear lines of reporting and consulting with councillors would be in place in developing the strategy.
The Chair emphasised the importance of educating residents of the need to recycle and of the cost implications to them with regard to LATS charges for landfill waste. He also suggested that signage on bins be clear as to what can and cannot be put in it.
Supporting documents: