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Most people have at last acknowledged that recycling and waste minimisation has to be a priority for today's society. We cannot ignore the need to protect our environment and ignorance is no longer an excuse! Elmbridge residents have risen to the challenge and the recycling rates have been steadily increasing. Our family cannot be the only one putting out a residual waste bin that is only a third full whilst the recycling bin is overflowing! This was the aim of the exercise of course. However, we are now being told that it makes little economic sense to collect half empty bins on a weekly basis. This is where AWC comes in - Alternate Weekly Collection - mystery solved! This is a system already being operated in some 180 local authorities around the country. Woking Borough Council and Mole Valley District Council are two of those whilst Waverley is currently finishing implementing AWC. Spelthorne Borough Council is actively looking at how it can be implemented in their borough next Autumn.
Evidence from "AWC councils" has demonstrated that, by restricting the capacity and frequency of residual waste collection, residents increase their recycling by being more astute shoppers (they avoid excess packaging) they home compost, they re-use materials and manage their home waste with more thought and responsibility.AWC is not however, without problems and the public have expressed concerns about having residual waste in their bins for two weeks. This causes particular problems in the Summer when food (and nappies!) will inevitably smell and attract the unwelcome attention of flies - this of course, can lead to maggot infestation. A determined recycler will package the waste more securely, may consider freezing strong smelling waste i.e. seafood waste and only put it into the dustbin on the night prior to collection.
If AWC were to be implemented we would have to change the way we deal with our waste. Even if we do not adopt AWC we will have to consider how we can increase our re-cycling rates. It has been too easy to pass on our individual waste problems to someone else - put everything and anything in the bin and forget about it - "out of sight, out of mind". I think everyone would agree that this attitude is totally irresponsible - landfill is not acceptable.
The Environmental Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Committee, on which I sit, is considering AWC at the moment. A Scrutiny Panel has been set up to investigate the issues and they are expressly tasked with the implications of AWC as a way of improving recycling and composting levels in the Borough. They are considering the likely benefits whilst at the same time, identifying the likely concerns and pitfalls. They will be examining the service delivery and performance implications together with the associated financial and contractual issues. The Panel are looking at best practice, attending workshops and visiting other Councils e.g. Mole Valley, Eastleigh Borough Council (10 years experience AWC) and East Hampshire District Council (5 years experience). Bracknell Forest and Reading are currently implementing AWC and the Panel are considering looking at their experience as well. No two councils are alike of course, and comparisons are therefore often complicated - assumptions cannot be made! Mole Valley for instance, moved from a black sack collection to "wheeled bin" and implemented AWC simultaneously. The vast majority of Elmbridge residents already have a wheeled bin. You could argue therefore that Mole Valley residents preferred the AWC because they were influenced by the benefits of having a wheeled bin! Mole Valley felt that a trial of AWC was essential - EBC may conclude a trial to be unnecessary as they have sufficient information on good practice and AWC implementation from other Boroughs. Cleanaway - EBC's contractor, also have experience in AWC. An Environmental Care student at EBC is also researching the performance and service satisfaction in boroughs where recycling rates are high - the results should be interesting and most helpful.
Thorough research and public consultation are both crucial - everyone must be engaged in the debate and this is where you can become involved. Please give these important decisions some thought and let us know your views. You might have friends or relatives who live in boroughs where AWC has already been implemented. What is their experience of the system - how did they fare this summer? You can telephone or write to your RA Councillor (contact details on page 5), or you can keep an eye for news on our web site and post views in the forum at www.residents-association.com.EBC will I am sure, endeavour to achieve a "bespoke" system - tailor-made to our Borough's needs.
The main objective is to increase EBC's recycling/composting rates to 40% (currently 26%). This will go a long way to help reduce the environmental problems associated with disposing of rubbish i.e. greenhouse gases that add to global warming. This will be a challenge as the aim is to achieve this without increasing the present £3million cost of refuse and recycling collection.By working together, the Council and residents can produce a system that will benefit our Borough, our planet and future generations.
Councillor Tannia Shipley