PR 3146
TACKLING TRADE WASTE AT HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRES
Hampshire County Council's Cabinet has approved the principle of reducing trade waste abuse at its household recycling centres through the possible introduction of controls such as permits, CCTV, automatic number plate recognition and height barriers
Trade waste is not permitted at HWRCs under their Environment Agency site licences, but Hampshire County Council estimates that around 17.5 per cent of waste being deposited at its 24 HWRCs is trade waste. By 2008 it is estimated that trade waste will cost the County Council in excess of £1 million per year in disposal costs and landfill tax.
The following controls will be considered to tackle trade waste abuse at Hampshire County Council's HWRCs, all of which are tried and tested methods used at HWRCs around the country:
· Household Recycling Permit Scheme - bans commercial vehicles because they are the type of vehicles mainly used by traders, and offers free exemption permits for Hampshire householders who only have access to a commercial vehicle;
· Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)- identifies likely traders as frequent site users and provides irrefutable evidence and traceability of their use
· CCTV - as a back-up to ANPR and to improve site security and monitoring;
· Height Barriers 13 a further restrictive measure to prevent large numbers of vans entering the sites.
In addition the County Council will introduce a coherent waste acceptance policy to clearly define what will and will not be accepted at HWRCs, particularly in the case of construction and demolition waste where the lines between household and trade can be blurred. It will also contain clear statements and working guidance on how policies will be introduced and enforced.
To promote appropriate waste disposal by traders, the County Council will be working with the Environment Agency to provide a list of the wide range of services offered by licensed trade waste facilities. Leaflets with this information will be distributed and will also be available online. In addition, the County Council will continue to work in partnership with the private sector to facilitate the construction of new sites capable of handling trade waste, and will consult with all the district councils in Hampshire to ensure that the new policies dovetail with their own, and to agree local implementation plans.
Introducing effective trade waste controls will bring Hampshire into line with practice in adjacent counties.
Leader of Hampshire County Council Councillor Ken Thornber, said "Hampshire's HWRCs receive over four and a half million visitors per annum and currently achieve a recycling/re-use rate of 60 per cent.
"Trade abuse impacts negatively on the general running of the HWRCs because extra tonnages are being managed and staff put under increased pressure by trade users, which then adds to congestion, and impacts on the level of service to householders and makes the general atmosphere on-site less likely to encourage segregation and recycling activity. The introduction of trade waste controls supported by a detailed waste acceptance policy will not only reduce costs across the HWRC network, but also greatly assist with improving customer service for residents visiting the sites."
ENDS
Looking after Hampshire, Looking out for you
For media enquiries please contact:
Kirsty Gunner, Press Officer
Tel: 01962 847110
Email: kirsty.gunner@hants.gov.uk
02 November 2006