Issue - meetings
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Meeting: 06/12/2023 - Cabinet Panel on the Environment (Item 88)
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.
Decision:
The Chair led a discussion amongst Members and members of the public present on the topics raised at this meeting.
Minutes:
Audio recording – 85 minutes 23 seconds
The Chair invited Robert Sprigge, Knebworth Environmental Group, to provide feedback on the soft plastic recycling trial. Mr Sprigge thanked that Chair and provided the following points, that:
· Collection bags and explanatory leaflets had been left by the kerb and these could have easily blown away. People may have received the bags without knowing what they were for.
· The uptake on his road had been good and cannot think that previously everyone would have been saving this plastic to recycle at a collection point.
· It appeared very easy for refuse workers to handle and manage collections.
· It was said on a Facebook page that it was all combined with residual waste.
· The feedback from the Knebworth Environmental Group had been positive, with the overwhelming view that it was easier than currently.
· Some questions remained around whether making collection of soft plastics easier would encourage their use more widely rather than reducing.
· There were also questions about whether the plastic bags used for the trial would be replaced when rolled out further, and why there was a disparity between what was collected at kerbside and what could be deposited at supermarkets.
In response to the points raised, Councillor Allen advised that:
· A lot of residual waste was sorted through to reduce, as far as possible, what was sent to landfill.
· Knebworth was the only place in North Herts participating in the trial at the moment.
· The leaflets and bags had been delivered by crews on their normal rounds and therefore kerbside was the most suitable place to leave the collection bags and leaflets.
· It was important to know what was in the bag and that the correct things were being collected.
· There was usually a central bin which would collect in multiple loads to deposit into the waste vehicle at once.
· Plastics would also be needed for some things and government was mandating the reduction of this, but this scheme for now prevented items going to landfill.
· This scheme could not accept all plastics, as under the TerraCycle scheme, and was only for soft plastics currently. However, this could widen further, once what is manageable and easy for residents is better understood.