I ATTENDED a seminar organised by Gloucestershire

Friends of the Earth in October and despite the anti-

incinerator theme of the event, the quality of

presentations and coverage of the key issues in waste

management were first class. We can all learn from them.

Waste management is not rocket science and the

subject has been under discussion nationally and in the

county for years. The local press and radio had covered

the subject in profusion.

A huge amount of research and good practice has

been built up but like the proverbial horse one can take it

to the water but not force it to drink. Myths surrounding

waste recycling and treatment continue.

Recycling and treatment of domestic waste cannot

be separated from their economic and environmental

costs, regrettably past practices reflected the prevailing

myth that recycling by itself whatever the cost leads to

salvation.

Few taxpayers have been let in the secret that

recycling costs an arm and a leg. Typically recycling

collections and processing cost over twice the charges

including tax saved by diverting the material from landfill.

So it makes sense to rethink the whole subject within the

economic realities facing us and that councils have to cut

down so many services crucial to the community.

Many items in the recycling box such as glass and

plastics cause no harm in landfill and are not taxed

although their recycling and reuse based on cost of

collection, separation and reprocessing may reduce

energy use and help the environment somewhat. Paper,

cardboard, textiles and other combustible materials can

be fired in energy from waste plants and help the

environment by replacing fossil fuels. Small incinerators

already operate firing wood materials at locations where

material is composted.

Collection of plastics and cardboard is a complete

waste of taxpayers' money given that it is expensive to

collect, compact and transport for reprocessing and reuse.

Fuel use and environmental footprint are major

determinants in how far waste materials can be

transported and reprocessed.

Food waste collection, particularly combined with

green waste makes no sense unless an effective treatment

facility such as anaerobic digestion is installed. This is

being promoted by the coalition government but councils

have yet to catch up.

Combined green/food waste collection has been

demonstrated to offer low collection efficiency which

leaves substantial portion of biodegradable material in the

general refuse which would pose issues relating to odors,

flies and bin-hygiene if collected fortnightly.

The coalition government unlike its predecessor

offers each council to decide what is best for them, but

has cautioned against fortnightly refuse collections where

these exist and not to introduce where they do not exist,

all for the very sound reason relating to biodegradable

material left in the bin.

The free garden waste collection introduced in the

Forest of Dean in 2003 is sheer madness. Apart from

providing inflated and perverse performance indicators,

this is now not mandatory.  It will cost well over £1m to

collect and process when food waste is added and only

save a fraction of this in landfill charges.

Green waste on its own can easily be hived off to

local contractors at low cost for windrow composting

against a charged scheme if some residents want this as

an amenity service. Many householders already do and

others can be easily encouraged to home compost garden

wastes. Even food wastes can be treated in green cone

composters such as that installed in the Forest council's

car park.

The Coalition Government has promised a pragmatic

approach to waste management, unwinding the complex

inter-relations between collection and treatment and

focusing on economic and environmental sustainability. It

has even promised financial incentives to householders

for recycling where it makes sense.

Defra has recently set out a timetable for major

announcements on waste policy it expects to make over

the next year with the publication of its 2011-15 business

plan. Government's review of waste policy in England is

due to be published in May 2011.

The Forest council's decision in September for

combined food and garden waste collection and

fortnightly general refuse collection is both premature and

unsound both economically and environmentally.

– Cllr Venk Shenoi, Churcham and Huntley.