Daren Spring updated Members with a progress update towards the implementation of the waste strategy:

·           From September 2022, households would receive alternate weekly refuse collection, alternate weekly garden waste collection, weekly recycling collection and weekly food waste collection.

·         Single Use Plastic Policy agreed by the committee would be going to Cabinet next week for approval.

·         Current bin collection days, for brown bins, are advertised on the council’s web site. Information on collection days for the waste strategy work would be included as part of the communications process.

·         Food waste – Communication process is being supported by RAP, had worked alongside other local authorities, detailed planning and communications would play a key part of this process, communicated with crew, residents, staff and trade unions. Information would be provided on what goes in each bin, frequency and day of collection.

·         Primary schools in the borough would be given the chance again to name the new bin lorries, they would be invited to submit a drawing and proposed name for the new waste vehicles. The competition would start in the summer with the winners being announced after October half term.

·         Food caddy contract was currently being undertaken and expected by July 2022, distributed to all households from September 2022.

·         Disposal waste contracts would be in place to support the food waste collections, these are currently being evaluated and be awarded in time for the new food waste service in September.

Councillor Redsell thanked Daren Spring for the update and although the food waste was a good idea she foresaw problems with the smaller bins disappearing, residents not taking them in or being blown away. Daren Spring stated work had been undertaken with other local authorities who had not reported any problems, the current policy would stand if a caddy/smaller bin would need replacing and that they were lockable, so therefore fox proof. As part of the communications plan would encourage residents to put their bins away.

Councillor Liddiard stated his support for more recycling and questioned whether implementation would be staggered and would there be a trial of the food caddies and if so could Tilbury be first. Daren Spring stated that there would not be a trail, but as part of the implementation process the delivery of food caddies would be staggered and would put forward Councillor Liddiard request but could not guarantee anything, due to the logistics.

Councillor Pothecary questioned how the alternate collections would work to which Daren Spring stated this would be picked up as part of the route rationalisation work and that recycling and food waste would be picked up by the same vehicle which had different compartments.

Councillor Rigby questioned whether these implementations would increase the borough’s recycling rates and prevent non-recyclable items being put in recycling bins. Daren Spring hoped that the fortnightly refuse collection would encourage more recycling with an increase projection of around 10% in time, but would hope for more. Also garden waste would be a better quality as food waste would be put into the food caddy.