Waste strategy: appendix 2 waste reduction plan

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Background

Scope of the waste reduction plan

This Waste Reduction Plan sets out our intention to reduce waste across all streams.

We will support residents in maximising waste prevention through education, outreach, and information sharing.

This plan should be read alongside our Waste and Recycling Strategy 2022-27.

The key principles set out in this document include adherence to the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC). This sets out the waste hierarchy which ranks waste management options according to what is best for the environment.

As a member of the Project Integra partnership, we adopted a new Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS) in 2021. The aims of this strategy are: to deliver engagement, education and raise awareness of waste management within the community to drive material up the waste hierarchy.

Waste prevention is difficult to measure by traditional means, as, by preventing waste in the first place, it never enters local authority systems and is therefore not weighed.

We see the implementation of a new collection system as a key step to supporting residents to reduce waste. It will encourage waste minimisation through restricting capacity as set out in our Waste and Recycling Strategy 2022 - 20272.

It also presents greater opportunity for us to monitor waste and recycling practices and engage with residents directly.

This plan will set out how we will utilise the new collection system and create mechanisms which will ensure waste prevention, reuse and recycling messages reach the right residents.

The principles of the waste hierarchy are:

Reduce

Minimises the generation of waste products.

Reuse

Redistribute for continued use, minimal processing.

Recycle

Collection of used items, turning them back into raw material.

Energy recovery

Includes anaerobic digestion and incineration with energy recovery.

Landfill

Last resort, no recovery of raw materials or energy.

We are committed to working directly with residents to help them reduce their waste, but also recognise the importance and strength of working with our partners Hampshire County Council who remain the lead authority of waste prevention activities across the district.

Hampshire County Council currently manage a waste prevention initiative called Smart Living.

The Smart Living initiative supports residents across the county through:

resourcing a waste prevention team
grant support Resources for schools
resources for community groups Waste prevention community champion scheme

Provision of a comprehensive online resource to help residents reduce the impact of their:

food waste
garden waste
textiles
electricals
plastic packaging

We will support Hampshire County Council in promoting and sharing county lead initiatives and campaigns to achieve a common goal.

The actions set out in this plan are key to achieving the objectives of our waste strategy.

This strategy has four main objectives:

Minimise carbon impact of waste/recycling service.
Increase quality and quantity of recycling.
Reduce levels of overall household waste.
Legislative and regulatory compliance.

The national context

It is important for all stakeholders to play their part in the prevention and reduction of overall waste levels.

Thus, this plan sets out the achievable actions we can take as a waste collection authority.

However, it is important to remember that there are many other factors that will influence waste generation, and importantly there are major legislative changes ahead which are aimed at reducing waste and increasing recycling.

Creating consistency in household recycling across the country will make recycling easier for householders and introducing a deposit return scheme will increase recycling levels of the target materials.

Extended producer responsibility for packaging and the introduction of a new plastic tax, are important actions that are aimed at encouraging businesses to use less material to package goods, but also increase the amount recycled content used.

We recognise that we do not have the resource or the ability to be able to pressure producers to make changes of this scale. Therefore, these legislative changes are likely to be the major influencing factors in reducing waste nationally.

The government is developing a new Waste Prevention Programme for England.

At the time of writing, this programme has not yet been released and the contents of this plan may be amended as a result.

Partnership working and key stakeholders

Preventing waste within the New Forest will require partnership working with Hampshire County Council, the lead authority on waste prevention.

Ensuring we support their key programme areas will help meet the overall county aim of reducing the cost of waste management by:

reducing overall waste arisings
diverting items suitable for direct reuse
prolonging the life of items/products and delaying them entering the waste system through other reuse activities, such as refill, repair, refurbish, upcycling
encouraging residents to discard of waste materials through alternative means, such as home composting, take-back schemes
make prevention and reuse easy and more convenient (than disposal) by investing in start-up or growth of local household waste prevention and reuse services

We will need to ensure close working practices with both Hampshire County Council and other partner authorities across Hampshire to make the most efficient use of resources and deliver greater impact.

Other key stakeholders in the process include:

local residents
local businesses
local environmental groups/ambassadors
our operational staff
our waste outreach team
Hampshire County Council
PI partners
elected members and town and parish councils

Defining waste prevention, reuse and recycling

Waste prevention is defined in the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC)3 as measures taken before a substance, material or product has become waste, that reduce:

a) the quantity of waste, including through the reuse of products or the extension of the life span of products;

b) the adverse impacts of the generated waste on the environment and human health;

c) the content of harmful substances in materials and products.

Reuse means "any operation by which products or components that are not waste are used again for the same purpose for which they were conceived."

Preparing for reuse means checking, cleaning or repairing for recovery operations, by which products or components of products that have become waste are prepared so that they can be reused without any other pre-processing.

Recycling refers to the collection of used items, turning them back into a raw material. This requires a reprocessing mechanism.

Although some materials can be recycled for the same purpose, such as glass bottles and jars, others are recycled into a lesser quality item, as is often the case for plastic and paper.

Encouraging better choices

Actions set out in the plan are designed to drive waste as far up the waste hierarchy as possible and encourage our residents to make more sustainable choices.

Our current waste collection service offers an unlimited sack collection for general waste.

The system presents no clear way of restricting general waste capacity and therefore does not encourage residents to reduce general waste by encouraging correct use of recycling services.

The implementation of a new collection system that encourages residents to think more carefully about and minimise the waste they produce, is a key first step in the execution of this plan.

This Waste Reduction Plan sets out a priority order for actions, based on tonnages of different waste streams currently collected.

By prioritising the largest waste streams, a greater impact will be realised.

Waste prevention drivers

According to The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), working to prevent waste across all streams will:

help meet national policy drivers, namely the national resource and waste strategy, plus the waste prevention programme for England (these are themselves driven by EU legislation)
reduce demands on finite natural resources and the associated environmental impacts of the extraction, harvesting and processing of those resources
minimise greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste collection, transportation and treatment
reduce the cost of collecting and disposing of waste and recycling
encourage social inclusion and economic development through creating jobs, volunteer schemes and training opportunities as well as improving access to reduced price goods for lower income families
free up consumers' financial resources for potentially more economically productive endeavours
consuming less will use fewer financial resources to purchase products that become waste

Waste reduction principles

Prioritise

We will prioritise resources for waste prevention towards streams where the most waste is produced and where our actions will have the greatest impact

Waste hierarchy

We will demonstrate the waste hierarchy to residents, giving clear and consistent messages about the importance of waste prevention and reuse.

Partners

We will work with and support external partners on waste prevention policies and initiatives.

Community

We will seek to maximise the social benefit of waste prevention by working with the community and voluntary sector where possible and appropriate.

Best practice

We will spread good news and share best practice on waste prevention by sharing effective work undertaken by groups and individuals

Targeted

We will target our waste prevention activities and campaigns to relevant audiences.

Lead by example

We will lead by example by seeking to reduce waste from our own activities and those of our partners and contractors.

Waste reduction priorities

Priority 1, general waste

We will provide ongoing support and education to residents to ensure all recycling collection services are being optimised

We will support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of further campaigns to reduce general waste, targeting some of the key preventable materials

Priority 2, food waste

We will actively engage with our residents and support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of campaigns to reduce avoidable food waste. We will actively engage with our residents and support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of home composting for compostable food waste.

Priority 3, dry recyclable materials

We will actively engage with our residents and support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of the reduce and reuse messaging ahead of recycling in line with waste hierarchy.

Priority 4, garden waste

Seek to in increase composting of garden waste by actively engaging with our residents and working with Hampshire County Council to promote the subsidised home compost bin scheme. We will also offer guidance and support.

Priority 5, bulky waste

Work closely with Hampshire County Council , charities, and reuse organisations to promote the reuse, repair, and recycling of large bulky items.

Waste reduction action plans

Below are the main actions to meet policies identified for each of the 5 priority waste streams.

Measurement and targets have been added where appropriate, although it is noted that waste prevention is difficult to measure by traditional means. By preventing waste in the first place, waste prevention never enters local authority systems and is therefore not weighed. Where this is the case, the potential benefits of this activity have been listed, but not quantified.

Policy

We will provide ongoing support and education to residents to ensure all recycling collection services are being optimised
We will support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of further campaigns to reduce general waste, targeting some of the key preventable materials.

Baseline

2020-21 waste data figures for general waste - 488kgw per household per year.

The latest annual data from 2020-21 has shown an unprecedented peak in both general waste and recycling kerbside tonnages, due to the impact of COVID-19.

Overall, waste levels were 10% higher in 2020/21 when compared to 2019/2020.

Existing policy and activities

We currently provide a weekly sack collection of general waste, with no policy in place to limit the amount of waste set out by each household.

This offers no incentive for residents to reduce their waste or increase their recycling.

Residents are currently allowed to stack pile waste communally; this policy works against the council being able to target waste prevention activities towards those residents creating the most waste

Aims

Reduce general waste levels.

Actions

To encourage waste prevention, reuse and recycling, the following actions will be implemented alongside the new collection system.

Pre-service change actions

Provide guidance to residents on how to dispose of waste not suitable for the kerbside collection such as by using household waste and recycling centres rather than the kerbside collection.
Target waste prevention advice at householders who place out excessive quantities of waste at the kerbside, working with the environmental enforcement team where necessary.
Provide waste prevention and recycling education and training to all operatives.
Assign an officer to liaise directly with Hampshire County Council waste prevention team to support and promote waste prevention activities to residents of the New Forest.
Ensure New Forest residents are signposted to up to date information which prioritises prevention of these waste materials before reuse and recycling.
To continue to provide textiles banks across the district using the County Framework Agreement. To work to expand the provision of banks by assessing new sites to increase reuse and recycling opportunities for textiles
To support schools by actively promoting the online learning resources provided by Hampshire County Council.
Engage with residents to create 'real life' local case studies that can be shared as best practice examples.

New service actions

Introduce a 'no side waste' policy for general waste.
Introduce an operative-led bin labelling feedback system to help educate residents towards waste prevention and correct recycling.
Develop and implement a system for assessing/managing requests for extra capacity supported by a waste advisor where waste prevention and recycling advice will be offered before extra capacity is provided.
District wide implementation of new service communication plan.
Flats project; specific communications and improved signage and bin areas.

Measurements

Record and monitor rejected side waste using in-cab technology or back office systems.
Record and monitor additional capacity provided.
Waste tonnage data.
Materials Analysis Facility data on waste composition.

Targets

Reduce kerbside-collected general waste by 30% by 2025 from 488 to 342 kilograms per household per year.
Reduce the amount recyclable material found in the general waste from the baseline figure of 25% to 10% by 2025.

For the following, targets will be set once a baseline figure can be established post implementation:

Reduction in the number households requiring additional general waste capacity.
Reduction in contaminated bins in communal bin stores.
Textiles bank provision and monthly tonnages.

Environmental and community benefits

Increased training for operatives leading to greater environmental awareness
Additional support for residents may trigger householders to undertake further waste prevention activity

Food waste

Policies

We will actively engage with our residents and support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of campaigns to reduce avoidable food waste.
We will actively engage with our residents and support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of home composting for compostable food waste.

Baseline

A waste composition analysis carried out in 2018 showed that on average food waste accounts for 40% of general waste.

Total food waste tonnages 20/21 = 16,000 tonnes (40% of total household general waste collected) 2020/2021 - 344 bins sold at cost, 134 bins provided by Hampshire County Council subsidy.

Total = 478.

Existing policy and activities

No separate collection of food waste in the district, household food waste is currently disposed of in the general waste which currently has no limit to capacity and hence here is no incentive for residents to reduce their food waste.

Aims

To reduce the amount of food wasted in the New Forest, and to encourage the composting or recycling of unavoidable food waste.

Actions

Develop and implement a system for assessing/managing requests for extra food waste capacity, supported by a waste advisor where waste prevention advice will be provided before extra capacity is offered.
Implement an ongoing communications plan with increased emphasis on food waste prevention.
Introduce a 'pledge' system for households to register their participation/support of food waste initiatives.
Engage with residents to create 'real life' local case studies that can be shared as best practice examples.
Support residents and community groups by actively seeking, sharing and supporting funding opportunities that support activities other routes for 'still edible' surplus food such as community fridges, charity sector food distribution networks.
Identify appropriate areas, demographic groups and outlets for the promotion of home composting and the subsidised bin scheme through both face-to-face activities such as workshops, and also digital/virtual channels.
To support schools by actively promoting the online learning resources provided by Hampshire County Council.

Measurements

Monitor and record household participation in food waste caddy service through set out rates.
Record contaminated food waste caddies via in cab technology/ back-office system.
Provide follow up advice and support to non-participating households, or contaminating households.
Record and monitor additional capacity provided.
Waste tonnage data.
Materials Analysis Facility (MAF) data on composition of waste.
Monitor and record uptake of pledges and case study engagement.

Targets

Reduce overall food wasted in the New Forest through all waste streams We know under the current system that food waste accounts for 40% of our general waste, giving us a baseline figure of 16,000 tonnes for 2020/2021.

On implementation of a food waste collection service, it will be important to look the following:

Tonnages collected via food waste collection service.
Tonnages that remain in the general waste (the mechanism to do this is still in development, but it is expected that a new Material Analysis Facility will be built as part of the new Material Recovery Facility, which may be able to sample general waste and ascertain levels of food waste).

Targets will be set once possible measures are clear.

Environmental and community benefits

Energy and cost saving benefits from overall reduced food waste for householders.
Reduced emissions/CO2 savings through re-use/conversion of food waste.
Increased training for operatives leading to improved environmental awareness.
Additional support for residents may trigger householders to undertake further waste prevention action.
Potential community benefits for those most in need through surplus 'still edible' food distribution/donation networks.

Dry recyclable material

Policies

We will actively engage with our residents and support Hampshire County Council in the promotion of the reduce and reuse messaging ahead of recycling in line with waste hierarchy.

Existing policy and activities

A weekly collection of dry recyclable material is provide to households by clear sacks. Currently messaging is provided to remind residents of the correct material to place in the clear sack.

Aims

To demonstrate the waste hierarchy to residents, clear and consistent messages will be provided about the importance of waste prevention and reuse ahead of recycling.

The aim will be to reduce overall waste levels.

Actions

Assign an officer to liaise directly with Hampshire County Council waste prevention team to support and promote waste prevention activities to residents of the New Forest.
Ensure New Forest residents are signposted to up to date information which prioritises prevention of waste materials before reuse and recycling. For example, the use of reusable items over single use options, and services enabling them to opt out of receiving junk mail.
To support residents and community groups by actively seeking, sharing and supporting funding opportunities that support prevention and reuse.

Measurements

Monitor overall waste generation levels.

Face to face/online events.

Environmental and community benefits

Additional support for residents may trigger householders to undertake further waste prevention activity.

Garden waste

Policy

Baseline

2020/2021 - 344 bins sold at cost, 134 bins provided via Hampshire County Council subsidy, Total = 478

Existing policy and activities

We currently offer a fortnightly subscription collection of garden waste which serves as of Autumn 2021 serves roughly 20,000 households.

We currently signpost residents to other reuse organisations and charities using an online form which assesses suitable outlets for the items based on the what the item is, and it's current condition.

Aims

To increase the number of New Forest residents successfully composting garden waste at home.

Actions

Assign an officer to liaise directly with Hampshire County Council waste prevention team to support and promote the subsidised compost bin scheme to residents of the New Forest.
To identify appropriate areas, demographic groups and outlets for the promotion of home composting and the subsidised bin scheme through both face-to-face activities such as workshops, and also digital/virtual channels.
Engage with residents to create 'real life' local case studies that can be shared as best practice examples.

Measurements

Number of subsidised bins provided to residents.
Total engagement at face 2 face/online events.
Total engagement through digital channels.
Annual resident feedback survey.

Targets

Carry out four home composting workshops per year either online or face to face.
Create 3 real life case studies.
Increase take-up of Hampshire County Council compost bin scheme by 5% year on year.

Environmental and community benefits

Energy and cost saving benefits from reduced food transportation of garden waste for householders.
Reduced emissions/CO2 savings.
Additional support for residents may trigger householders to undertake further waste prevention action.
Reduction in need for shop-bought compost, some of which may be peat-based.

Bulky waste

Policies

Work closely with Hampshire County Council, charities and re-use organisations to promote the reuse, repair and recycling of large bulky items.

Baseline

Bulky waste tonnages

2019-20 - 251.35 tonnes. Note that 2019-20 tonnages are used here because of service disruption resulting from Covid-19 in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Online bulky waste reuse form

20/21 - total number of entries = 2421.

Reuse organisation indicated = 113.

HWRC indicated = 238.

Potentially 14% material reused or recycled.

Existing policy and activities

Bulky waste is a bookable and charged collection service, most of the bulky waste collected is sent to landfill as it is not suitable for incineration due to its size.

Some materials such as metals from white goods are recovered.

We currently signpost residents to other reuse organisations and charities via an online form.

The online form assesses viable suitable outlets for the items based on the what the item is and current state condition.

Aims

To decrease the amount of bulky waste collected and sent to landfill in the New Forest.

Actions

Assign an officer to liaise directly with Hampshire County Council waste prevention team to support and promote the diversion of bulky waste collections to the third sector, for example specifically assisting in the sourcing of storage solution for material.
Assign an officer to work with Hampshire County Council to promote and support repair schemes/initiatives within the New Forest.
Continue to signpost residents to other reuse organisations and charities to an online form to assess suitability, research organisations, with a view to adding further reuse opportunities to the form and ensure all details are up to date. Work with the customer service team to ensure that all bulky waste customers complete the form prior to booking.

Measurements

Bulky waste tonnages.

Online bulky waste reuse form, number of entries.

Targets

A 5% reduction in bulky waste tonnages year on year.

Environmental and community benefits

Additional support for residents may trigger householders to undertake further waste prevention action.
Reduced carbon impact of waste to landfill.
Potential community benefits for those most in need through surplus material distribution/donation networks.

Resources

In order to progress, there will need to be a dedicated resource in place to implement and monitor the actions set out above..

This plan is presented as an appendix to the Waste Strategy 2022-2027.

Many of the actions set out in this plan will be implemented alongside the rollout of a new collection service.

New services and their implementation will require increased temporary resource to engage with residents to maximise participation in the services. We will also promote waste prevention and minimisation, which is an essential behaviour change required when restricted waste capacity is introduced.

We are committed to providing long term waste prevention and minimisation support to our residents. As such, the following outreach staff resource will be required to support operational practices:

Staffing

For a 15-month period before, during and after major frontline service change, waste advisors will be needed to support our resident engagement goals and help to implement the actions in this plan.

On a permanent basis, an additional post will be required to lead and manage many of the actions within this plan.

Budgets

The budget to support the activities in this plan will be part of an increased communications budget that will be needed to support overall service change as well as longer term improved service performance.

WRAP recommend that an annual spend of £1 per household is appropriate to maintain high levels of participation and engagement.

Because of the high level of service change required in New Forest District Council, for a 12 month period of service change, this would be increased to £2 per household. These costs are included within overall forecasts of cost for the future service.

Monitoring and reviewing

This plan demonstrates our commitment to supporting waste prevention activities and reducing overall waste levels created in the New Forest.

Its implementation will commence on adoption of the new Waste and Recycling Strategy.

This plan sets out clear high-level actions, however time scales have largely been omitted and will be reviewed alongside an annual communications and engagement plan that will include setting more detailed KPI's against the proposed actions.

Performance and progress towards high level targets will be reported on an annual basis to the Environment and Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

The ever-changing landscape of the waste industry will be monitored to ensure that resources are being targeted towards streams where the most waste is produced and where our actions will have the greatest impact.

As government look to introduce new legislation, the way waste is created and handled from cradle to grave is set to change.

This waste reduction plan must remain reactive to the challenges these legislative changes generate, and therefore will be reviewed alongside the creation of the annual communication plan.