The Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) is to continue collecting recycling via a two-stream collection system after finding separate collections are not ‘economically practicable’.

Under the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations, all waste collection authorities (WCAs) are legally obliged to collect glass, metal, paper and plastic (‘the four materials’) in separate streams where doing so is both necessary to facilitate or improve recovery, and where technically, economically and environmentally practicable (TEEP).

Currently, the partners of the DWP operate a fortnightly twin-stream service for recyclables (known as ‘Recycle for Dorset’), whereby metals, paper and plastics are collected in a wheeled bin, and glass is collected separately in a box. But, as part of the decision process to understand whether separate collections should be instated in the area, the DWP commissioned environmental consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting (Eunomia) to undertake two reviews of the service.

The first comprised data gathering and a review of the measures taken by the partnership to apply the waste hierarchy, and the second stage involved a ‘high-level options appraisal’ to examine whether, in light of actual data on the Recycle for Dorset, the ‘necessity’ test and the ‘practicability’ test are met for separate collection.

TEEP test findings

At a meeting on Wednesday (11 March), the DWP joint committee heard that the stage one report concluded that, overall, the DWP has a good set of comprehensive documents, and is in a strong position to undertake a full assessment of its compliance with the regulations.

The committee then heard that Eunomia evaluated whether a weekly kerbside sort recycling collection, a weekly food collection and a fortnightly refuse collection would be necessary to facilitate or improve recovery. Eunomia reportedly chose a weekly service model ‘to provide sufficient containment, as recycling boxes are used’.

It concluded that separate collection of the four materials:

• is likely to increase the quantity of recycling collected and, so in the terms set out in the law, is necessary to facilitate recovery; and
• is likely to lead to an improvement in the purity of plastics compared with current materials recovery facility (MRF) outputs, and so in the terms set out in the law, is necessary to improve recovery – but only for this material. (However, as DWP is currently developing a new MRF, the partnership has argued that materials sorted through this facility may be able to meet a similar quality standard to separate collections.)

As separate collections were found to be necessary, Eunomia then undertook a TEEP test. The analysis indicated that separate collection of the four materials would be technically practicable, since it has been implemented and operated already across areas of Dorset, and environmentally practicable (as the options appraisal indicates that kerbside sort would deliver a 23.9 per cent increase in carbon savings compared with two-stream collection), but raised ‘significant doubts’ as to whether separate collections would be ‘economically practicable’.

Eunomia reported that, under the assumption that current material prices continue to be achieved, separate collection would be eight per cent more expensive than the current baseline service and would require additional investment in staff and vehicles. It stated that separate collections would need to be offset by increased material income to make it economically competitive, but that this would expose the DWP to greater financial risk in the event of a downturn in the secondary materials market. For example, a 10 per cent downturn in material prices across the board would make separate collection 9.3 per cent more expensive than two-stream collections.

The DWP joint committee therefore determined that the additional costs and financial risks associated with separate collection would represent an ‘excessive cost’ and therefore not be ‘economically practicable’. As such, it agreed to continue its current collection methodology, and stated its belief that it is compliant with the regulations.

Management review

As well as discussing its TEEP compliance, councillors from the seven Dorset councils also agreed an action plan to ‘urgently improve the governance and financial management of partnership’.

It was announced at the beginning of March that the partnership had temporarily suspended its Director, Steve Burdis, whilst it undertook a review into how the body overspent on its budget by £2.8 million last year, including how £1.5 million was spent on hiring recycling vehicles ‘without a proper tendering process’ and why vehicle insurance details were not sent to the national database, as required by the law.

Following three independent reviews – an internal audit led by the South West Audit Partnership, an efficiency review by Local Partnerships (co-owned by the Treasury and Local Government Association), and a strategic review by consultants WYG – councillors agreed an action plan bringing together the recommendations of all three reviews.

The 37 actions set out in the plan include:

• giving earlier warning to councils of financial risks that may result in overspends;
• holding monthly meetings to review progress on the action plan;
• introducing better monitoring and reporting of vehicle hire;
• giving clearer allocation of budget responsibility to key staff;
• providing more training for budget holders to better manage and monitor budgets;
• increasing human resources support to reduce staff absence; and
• improving risk management and business planning.

Steve Mackenzie, Chief Executive of Purbeck District Council, has taken overall responsibility for ensuring the action plan is delivered. Additional management support will be provided by consultants WYG for up to six months to help deliver the action plan.

Steve Burdis has not yet been reinstated as Director.

Councilllor Tony Alford, Chair of the DWP Joint Committee, said: “I welcome the findings of the reviews and the action plan, which councillors will closely monitor to make sure the situation is turned around quickly.

“Partner councils are clear that the failings highlighted by the reviews are unacceptable. Together, we are committed to putting this right and providing an efficient, business-like waste and recycling service to our residents.

“We must also recognise that the DWP has successfully met many of its aims, including increasing recycling and reducing landfill, and that the majority of residents also say they are happy with their service.”

Find out more about the Dorset Waste Partnership and its decision to suspend Steve Burdis.