Following a successful trial of separate food waste collections councillors have now agreed to enable officers to order electricity-powered vehicles for the collection of food waste.
Members of the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee met last night (Wednesday 10 March) and agreed to the procurement of the vehicles to meet operational lead in times for vehicle delivery.
Members were made aware that the disposal point for mixed food and garden waste could not be guaranteed from April 2022. Members were advised that the anticipated lead time for separate food waste collection vehicles was likely to be nine to 12 months from order.
In total the council will be ordering six 12-tonne electric vehicles and one 7.5 tonne vehicle for harder to reach areas.
Members also agreed to a proposed trial of methods of collecting mixed dry recyclables which meet the requirements of the council’s waste strategy and the forthcoming Environment Bill.
Chairman of the committee Councillor David Harrison said: “The trial of separate food waste collections was a success and now we must make sure we are ready ahead of April 2022 when we could be left with no disposal point if we were to continue as we currently are.
“By getting the vehicles ready we can ensure that we’ll have a way of maintaining a service to our residents.
“We must also look closer at mixed dry recyclables and how we can remodel our service for the future.
“These changes are vital, not only because of the National Waste Strategy and Environment Bill but because of the ambitions of our own Waste Strategy and corporate plan in making the service efficient and environmentally sound, and to be sure that the service delivers for both our residents and businesses. We will be working alongside our residents to make sure this happens.”
