Agenda item

Report attached

The Joint Executive Committee received a report which advised of the latest position regarding the Residual Waste Treatment Contract and other ancillary waste joint contracts and activities managed by the South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership (STWWMP).

 

The joint partnership team continues to undertake several waste management functions on behalf of the partner authorities, including reviewing and verifying monthly contract reports, which detail materials processed and service issues. Once approved, invoices are processed and, where appropriate, apportioned between partner authorities within contractual timescales.

 

This is enabling, amongst other things, a proactive and timely approach to management of the RWTC which is operated under strict timescales. Similar benefits are also afforded to the procurement and management of other ancillary contracts, such as MRF, HWRC, and green waste composting.

 

Residual Waste Treatment Contract (RWTC)

 

During the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic restrictions, household waste levels have continued to remain high. All partner authorities have been able to maintain normal residual waste collections from households across STWWMP without interruption.

 

The JEC were advised that in recent months, the EfW has become a key facility for the management of waste arising from the new COVID-19 lateral flow test centres located in Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland. Guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed that the waste should be classified as chemical, not clinical waste. This enabled the separately collected material to be directly delivered to the EfW by the partner authorities on a weekly basis following temporarily permission from the Environment Agency (EA) for the facility to accept such waste, which must be processed within 24 hours of delivery.

 

The reopening of schools following the publication of the lockdown roadmap and easing of COVID-19 restrictions resulted in a change to the disposal guidance for lateral flow tests waste arising from schools and businesses, which can now be disposed within the general residual waste stream. However, such material produced by universities and official COVID-19 lateral flow test centres must still be managed as per the original DHSC guidance.

 

The JEC received an update on the EfW Service Update including appendices attached to the main report highlighting contract performance for the period April 2020 to February 2021 and average plant availability.

 

The JEC were advised that the third JICR was previously submitted by Willis Towers Watson and has been reviewed by STWWMP and support from colleagues at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) a response from STWER is still awaited.

 

STWWMP continue to review the previous request received from STWER for changes to the insurance cover.

 

STWER had already indicated that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant increases to insurance costs. Any potential issue around additional costs will be raised at the Liaison Committee meeting as further information from STWER is required.

The JEC were advised that all three of the WTS were fully operational between November and January. Recycling outputs from the sites include segregated street sweepings, wood and scrap metals. Routine maintenance of buildings, plant and control systems was undertaken as scheduled during this period.

 

However, unfortunately, in recent months incidents of fires have become an increasing risk within all aspects of waste-related operations. The most serious incident occurred at the Campground WTS when an alarm was raised by the fire detection and monitoring company of 0225 on Sunday 28 February. The exact cause of the fire may never be known, but initial feedback suggests that the fire broke out in some general waste that had been delivered to the WTS from the HWRC sites.

 

At the time of writing this report, JEC were advised that the WTS remains closed and the contingency arrangements are operating effectively. Tipping away costs will continue to be met by SUEZ for all vehicles diverted to the contingency sites during the closure of the Campground WTS.

 

On 9 March, the Middlefields WTS also experienced a fire within the waste in the tipping hall. Fortunately,  the fire started in late afternoon when the site was still operational and could be dealt with by the staff on site. In moving waste during routine operations, friction from the loading shovel vehicle bucket damaged a battery that had been disposed within the residual waste stream, which exploded and caused the surrounding waste materials to ignite.

 

Once extinguished, the small amount of waste was placed in the quarantine area over night in a bucket of water. An inspection of the material the following day revealed a mobile phone battery and charger.

 

Targeted Recruitment and Training (TR&T)

 

The JEC were advised that following an interview process for the vacant role of EfW Operations Manager an internal appointment has now been made.

 

Community Education and Engagement

 

The JEC were advised that whilst both onsite and outreach activities remain suspended because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the visitor and education centre co-ordinator has designed a page to promote the community education and engagement programme on the North East Services for Schools website, which details a range of services that schools across the partner authority can access.

 

The first of a series of newsletters was issued in January 2021 with the second being circulated in April 2021.

 

Work is ongoing to develop a programme of online activities that can take place whilst the current pandemic restrictions remain in place, which included a programme of Easter related activities in which several schools participated. To further support the preparation of future engagement activities, a survey has been issued to seek views from local schools and community groups about the most effective methods of engagement as the route map to lift COVID-19 restrictions progresses. This will ascertain their future plans for recycling, waste management and sustainability education.

 

The JEC were also advised that the ongoing pandemic restrictions continue to impact both the Campground and Jack Crawford House Community Liaison Groups and no meetings have been able to be held.

 

Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Contracts

 

The JEC were advised that the risk of fires within household recycling loads is also a significant issue and a small fired occurred in a Gateshead Council recycling collection vehicle (RCV) on 17 March. Fortunately the crew were able to act swiftly and an onboard fire extinguisher prevented a more serious situation from occurring, but the actual cause of the fire could not be subsequently identified.

 

Table A at Appendix B advised the JEC of the latest 2020/21 performance for blue bin recycling (April 2020 – February 2021). All partner authorities have continued to maintain the blue bin recycling collection service to households throughout the COVID-19 pandemic without interruption to service.

 

However, as with residual waste levels, the impact of the pandemic continues to see higher levels of recycling presented across the partner authorities as many residents continue to work from home. This has been compounded by the usual seasonal rise in recyclable materials that are presented over the festive period.

 

The MRF contracts continue to be monitored closely by the joint partnership team, Recycling tonnages of commingled materials remain at above average levels. Therefore, frequent contract meetings/calls are being held with contractors to discuss any mitigation that may need to be taken to ensure that the storage of material at the MRF’s does not become an issue and that the sites are still able to process the additional tonnage that is being received.

 

The JEC were advised that the recycling trial that commenced in February 2019 on a single collection round in both Gateshead and South Tyneside is enabling around 2,400 households to recycle paper and cardboard materials together in a separate additional wheeled bin. Tonnages collected through the trial have generally remained static throughout the pandemic with a slight increase in South Tyneside. The contractor has confirmed that there is a greater percentage of cardboard being collected and paper percentages have reduced.

 

Having entered into short term MRF household recycling contract with Ward Recycling Ltd and Riverdale PLC, the STWWMP received reports on 19 February 2021 that Ward Recycling were experiencing financial difficulties and would cease trading imminently. Following urgent consultation, a 13 month contract until 31 March 2022 with Re-Gen Waste has now been arranged and these interim arrangements do not impact on the ongoing preparations of a full STWWMP tendering exercise leading to the award of longer-term MRF contract(s) from 1 April 2022.

 

Household Waste and Recycling Centres Contracts

 

The JEC were advised that the Campground WTS also impacted on the availability of the HWRC, which is located at the same site. This meant that, unfortunately, access to the HWRC was unavailable and the site was close to service users on both 28 February and 1 March.

 

Access to the HWRC reopened on 2 March and to prevent future occurrences of fires arising from the disposal of electrical and electronic materials at the HWRC, a number of site improvements were agreed and implemented with immediate effect.

All HWRCs reintroduced summer opening hours on 1 April 2021. However, to manage the significant queues that were being experienced at both Campground and Cowen Road HWRCs, which were disrupting the public highway, Gateshead Council extended the opening hours at both sites ahead of schedule and from 24 March residents were able to access the HWRCs from 0800 to 2000.

 

To address increased queuing at the Recycling Village, South Tyneside, additional traffic management staff have been employed on a temporary basis and opening hours have also been increased (from 0800 each morning).

 

The short term extraordinary extension to the Sunderland City Council HWRC contract with SUEZ is set to expire at the end of September 2021. This coincides with the development and opening of the new HWRC located at Pallion. The joint partnership team is continuing to support Sunderland City Council in the procurement of a new contract for the management of the new site.

 

Green Waste Composting Contracts

 

The 2021 garden waste kerbside collection services commenced for households that have subscribed to the service in late March/early April

 

The 2021 collection season is the final year of the previously agreed extension period to the current green waste composting contracts. Therefore, new contracts are required from 1 April 2022 and the joint partnership team will lead in the delivery of a full procurement exercise later this year.

 

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Contract

 

The JEC were advised that the WEEE Reduce and Reuse project delivery team were furloughed on a part time basis in February and returned full-time on 12 April. The team is reviewing methods of engagement to identify new methods to collect materials for redistribution to vulnerable residents. This now includes the provision of packs of working small WEEE for redistribution throughout STWWMP area by the Changing Lives Charity and to young adults coming out of care and into their new homes.

 

The kerbside WEEE project Behavioural Change Officer began the delivery of project activities in early November 2020. Using the Material Focus  artwork, project stickers and bags have been designed to support the commencement of kerbside collections of SDA and batteries from households in key areas across Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

 

The project will link to the Reduce and Reuse Project by providing working small WEEE appliances that have been collected and maximise reuse opportunities.

 

RESOLVED –  That the information be noted.