Document New Waste and Recycling Policy

Officers reported that Surrey County Council (SCC) operated a 2-tier structure, whereby the Boroughs and Districts were responsible for waste collection and SCC were responsible for its treatment and disposal.

The end destination of the recycling and waste was controlled by SCC.

Since the introduction of recycling in 2008, Runnymede Borough Council’s (RBC) recycling performance had increased from 20% (2008/09) to 49% (2021/22).   This placed RBC 79^th out of 333 authorities.

In July 2020 the Environment and Sustainability Committee approved a Household Recycling and Waste Kerbside Collection policy.  This policy has served the Council well and offered a framework for provision and collection of refuse and recycling bins for households.

The 2022 policy did not, however, specify bin provision for either Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or for flats.   The new proposed policy included this provision. 

Officers already worked with students from Royal Holloway University by educating students on what bins were used for what waste.  It was agreed that most problems relating to problems were around lack of education and unwillingness to comply.  It was noted information tags would be attached to bins in the Englefield Green offsite student areas at the start of the autumn term.

It was reported that a new development of flats in the Borough was having ongoing problems with contaminated waste.   It was noted that in some cases recycling bins had had to be removed from flats due to continued contamination.   Officers reported that bin collectors could now take photos of contamination and upload to the bartec system.  

It was reported that a recent meeting it had been agreed that the distribution of hard copies of the waste and recycling schedules would be ceased.  The cost of producing the leaflet was considerable and it was felt residents now used other channels to check when they were due a bin collection.

Officers would speak to the Council’s Communications team regarding promoting the new waste and recycling policy on the Council’s website and social media channels.

Resolved that –

The 2020 Household Recycling and Waste Kerbside collection policy be revoked and a new Waste and Recycling Policy which expands the remit of the former policy to include Housing in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and blocks of flats be introduced.