Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Hughes introduced the report and explained that from 6 April 2024, new Welsh Government legislation would come into force requiring all non-domestic premises to separate recyclable materials from all other waste. This would require all workplaces, such as businesses, public sector, and charities to separate their recyclable materials in the same way that required households to do.

The aim of the change was to improve the quality and quantity of commercial recycling collected and separated across Wales.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) would be responsible for making sure that materials were being separated and collected correctly, and that the ban on recycling going to incineration and landfill was being followed. Local authorities would be responsible for making sure that the ban on food waste going to sewer was followed.

The report provided an overview of the new legislative requirements and outlined the potential impact on the Council and actions required to achieve compliance.

The Regulatory Service Manageradded with the introduction of the new legislation, there may be an opportunity to review the provision of recycling services for businesses, such as extending the Councils trade waste collection service on a chargeable basis.

One other option currently being explored could involve designating a single

waste disposal facility (i.e. HRC site) for the receipt of other chargeable recyclable materials (wood, soil, rubble, green waste etc) from businesses.  This would require additional back-office support to ensure compliance with waste duty of care for producing, carrying, keeping, disposing of, treating, importing, or having control of waste in England or Wales. The law required anyone dealing with waste to keep it safe, make sure it was dealt with responsibly and only given to businesses authorised to take it. This meant that the environmental permit for the HRC site would also need to be varied, a process that could take between 6-12 months. The intention was to build that option into the future Resource and Waste Strategy.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the changing legislation and the potential impact on Council services be noted; and

(b)       That the option to explore opportunities to develop non-domestic recycling collections and disposal services be supported.