BDR Waste Partnership

1. Welcome

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and BDR Senior Contracts Officer introduced himself.

2. Apologies

Were received.

3. Minutes of the last meeting on 8th April

With the exception of a small amend to issues arising, these were approved as a true record.

4. Issues arising

There were no issues arising which were not on the agenda.

5. Complaints update

The Contract Director brought slides to demonstrate how the Line 1 bio filter worked. When new virgin woodchip was installed 11 months ago, the odour produced changed, although it was not judged to be malodorous. In February there had been a spike in complaints to 39. These were now reducing considerably, down to 16 in May, and just two so far in June. The EA had visited on 1 st May to carry out an odour inspection and their full report and recommendations were awaited, but they were happy the facility was operating within normal parameters. However, in view of the issues, changes to Line 2 bio filter would be delayed. The BDR Senior Contracts Officer said overall BDR was happy with the way the facility was being run. Around 40 per cent of complaints could not be attributed to the plant because it was the wrong kind of smell or the wind was not in the right direction. The EA were undertaking unannounced to checks on odours in the vicinity. They had also issued diaries to a number of residents and businesses so that a record could be kept of any odours they noticed. The BDR Manager said that since the facility opened it had not caused major problems in the community and when issues had arisen, a lot of money had been spent putting it right. No complaints were ignored, but because of the type of facility it is the perception is that odours and flies will be coming from it. The chair felt that some residents had forgotten historical problems created by the coking plant on the old Manvers site.

he Contract Director brought slides to demonstrate how the Line 1 bio filter worked. When new virgin woodchip was installed 11 months ago, the odour produced changed, although it was not judged to be malodorous. In February there had been a spike in complaints to 39. These were now reducing considerably, down to 16 in May, and just two so far in June. The EA had visited on 1 st May to carry out an odour inspection and their full report and recommendations were awaited, but they were happy the facility was operating within normal parameters. However, in view of the issues, changes to Line 2 bio filter would be delayed. The BDR Senior Contracts Officer said overall BDR was happy with the way the facility was being run. Around 40 per cent of complaints could not be attributed to the plant because it was the wrong kind of smell or the wind was not in the right direction. The EA were undertaking unannounced to checks on odours in the vicinity. They had also issued diaries to a number of residents and businesses so that a record could be kept of any odours they noticed. The BDR Manager said that since the facility opened it had not caused major problems in the community and when issues had arisen, a lot of money had been spent putting it right. No complaints were ignored, but because of the type of facility it is the perception is that odours and flies will be coming from it. The chair felt that some residents had forgotten historical problems created by the coking plant on the old Manvers site.

The chair thanked them for their reports and felt progress on both issues was going in the right direction.

6. 3SE update

The Contract Director said work on the installation of an acid scrubber was now 70 per cent complete and should be finished by the end of July. It would reduce further ammonia emissions from the AD plant. There was now a preferred bidder for fire prevention works requested by insurers and it was hoped to begin work on site in July and be completed by December. The glass clean-up installation had been modified further in April to eliminate blockages and the process was now performing correctly. The new facility at Ferrybridge (FM2) was on schedule for a July start and full operation in the last quarter of 2019. The facility would be available to take waste from Renewi BDR from September/October onwards.

7. BDR update

The BDR Senior Contracts Officer said the four local authorities were working on the consultation for the Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for England. The focus was on consistency of materials to be collected by local authorities including food waste and charges for garden waste; a deposit return scheme for drinks containers; a tax on packaging containing less than 30 per cent recycled plastic; and extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on packaging waste. Each authority would put in their own response in addition to a joint South Yorkshire response. The results of the consultation were being analysed nationally, and then a further consultation would take place on the outcomes. The Community Education Liaison Officer reported that the major waste collection changes in Rotherham had now been rolled out to households. There had been an increase in recycling, a reduction in contamination and the amount of overall leftover household waste had reduced. The next stage was to roll out the scheme to flats, including 5,500 local authority properties and 1,000 private properties. Almost 40,000 households had signed up for the paid for garden waste scheme. In addition, the number of properties with additional bins had been reduced from 10,500 to 3,000.

8. CELO update

The Assistant Community Liaison Officer reported that plans were being drawn up for marketing campaigns and how to deliver them over the next three years. These would include WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste in the summer and Recycle Week in September, which this year would build on the momentum of the growing national and international environmental movement to encourage more recycling. A recent composting campaign on social media attracted more than 100 entries in a competition for prizes including a compost bin and gardening equipment. School visits were continuing, last week 260 children visited and four more were planned. A site tour for members of the public was scheduled for 25th June and there were still spaces at 2pm and 6pm.

he Assistant Community Liaison Officer reported that plans were being drawn up for marketing campaigns and how to deliver them over the next three years. These would include WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste in the summer and Recycle Week in September, which this year would build on the momentum of the growing national and international environmental movement to encourage more recycling. A recent composting campaign on social media attracted more than 100 entries in a competition for prizes including a compost bin and gardening equipment. School visits were continuing, last week 260 children visited and four more were planned. A site tour for members of the public was scheduled for 25th June and there were still spaces at 2pm and 6pm.

9. Communications update

Stratiji reported on a press release on the successful Renewi Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fund projects issued to local and regional media with a photograph of a winning project from last year. This got widely used on local authority websites, the BDR website and Doncaster Free Press. An article about odour complaints in the Dearne Valley Weekend discussed at the last CLG meeting had been reproduced in its sister paper the Rotherham Advertiser a few weeks later. A response about the odour issue had been prepared for John Healey MP to make sure he had the full facts. An article from the Yorkshire Post about an increase in fly-tipping across the region had been forward to CLG members. The same article praised Barnsley and Doncaster Council for issuing more fines for littering than any other places in Yorkshire. The next pro-active communication campaign would be for Love Food Hate Waste in the summer and Recycle Week in September.

10. Any other business

The BDR Manager proposed to raise the issues of non-attendance by elected member of the CLG.

Action: BDR Manager to raise this with steering committee and portfolio holders.

11. Date, time and venue for next meeting

This will be on Monday, 2nd September, 7pm at the Visitor Centre.