BDR Waste Partnership

PFI Waste Treatment Facility – Community Liaison Group meeting on Tuesday, 1st February, 2022, via Zoom.

Attendance:

Non Members:

Apologies

Were received

Written updates from Renewi, BDR, the CELO and Stratiji had been circulated previously.  Brief summaries and further updates were given verbally at the meeting and CLG members had the opportunity to ask questions.

1. Welcome and introductions

The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, including two members who introduced themselves, one from Rotherham and one from Doncaster.

2. Notes from the last ‘virtual’ meeting on 8th December. 

These were agreed as a true record.

3. Issues arising

There were none.

4. Renewi BDR Ltd update

The Renewi BDR Contract Director summarised and updated his written report. Following a spike in Covid cases in January involving seven staff testing positive, everyone was now back at work. Higher waste tonnages after Christmas were now reducing.  Operations had remained stable and the biogas engine continued to operate smoothly. Renewi would be celebrating its fifth birthday in February following a merger between Shanks and a Dutch company. Renewi was recruiting two apprentices through Barnsley College. The three  week shutdown which began on 31st January at the FM1 facility at Ferrybridge was not good timing because of the extra waste generated by Christmas which meant a small amount of waste would potentially have to be diverted to landfill for a short period.  During the recent strong winds, the top section of a chimney had become loose and was leaning towards the building below.  Work was ongoing to secure it.  The chimney included a silencer installed in 2016 to reduce noise levels so the situation had been reported to the Environment Agency, BDR and the local authorities.  It was hoped to have everything back to normal within four weeks.  A CLG member asked whether there had been any more complaints about noise, the response was there had been one from the Mexborough area in December, but there had been no response to a call and email to the complainant.   A CLG member asked which landfill site was being used – the response was Hampole in Doncaster – and it had been used less than 2% of all waste received.  A CLG member asked whether figures were available for the different elements of waste received and the amounts recycled. The response was that the figures were produced every three months for the Joint Waste Board and were available on the RMBC website but could also be brought to future meetings of the CLG. Exact figures were variable because of constant changes made by off-takers, and new members would be welcome to tour the facility to learn more about waste streams and processes.

Action:  Contract Director to report back on the chimney issue at the next CLG meeting.

Action: Quarterly figures on waste received and amount recycled to be reported at each CLG meeting.

5. BDR update

The BDR Manager summarised and updated her written report.  Waste and recycling collections had been affected by Covid and the national shortage of HGV drivers but for the most part it had been possible to continue delivering the service. The forthcoming Environment Act would have a major impact on waste services and more information was awaited from DEFRA.  New contracts for HWRCs were being looked at.  CLG members felt when these were being negotiated, there should be consistency across the councils so that BDR residents could use HWRCs in all three areas. They felt it was particularly difficult for people living near a local authority border who had to drive further to one in their own area than one just over the border nearby, creating more carbon emissions and inconvenience.  There was a long discussion about partnership working in relation to this issue. Cllr Houlbrook said change could sometimes be a slow process with different councils operating on different financial incentives but efforts were being made to align policies.  Detailed guidance on this was expected from the Government, including on HWRCs. CLG members felt BDR and Renewi should seize the initiative and take action now to make waste services consistent across the three authorities. There was a discussion about plastics, the expense of recycling them and the sustainability of outlets to take them.  Cllr Houlbrook felt more education and communication was needed on what could be recycled and where.

6. Communication Education Liaison Officer update.

The CELO summarised and updated her report. Campaigns coming up included the second Food Waste Action Week in March, Re-using Clothes including a Swap Shop pack, and Re-use Revolution in February would focus on DIY tools. New members were invited to join a site tour of the facility. An update was given on the current campaign with Hubbub, an environmental charity which aims to increase waste recycling. Three pilot projects were being launched. In Barnsley’s pilot area it would be a leaflet and social media campaign aimed at informing people what happens to their recycling.  In Doncaster’s pilot area a video of kids explaining why common contaminants should be put in the recycling bins will be promoted.  In Rotherham the pilot would take the form of a quiz, to be rolled out in Maltby and Dinnington.  The deadline for applications to Renewi’s Corporate Social Responsibility Fund had been extended to 18th February and successful projects would be selected by the end of the month.

7. Communications update

Stratiji summarised and updated the written report and outlined press releases issued to local and regional print and broadcast media and to local authority comms teams to post on their websites.  All releases are also posted on the BDR website and supported by a social media campaign. Recent releases had focused on the launch of the CSR Fund and the deadline extension. If was hoped to encourage more applications from the Doncaster area and Cllr Houlbrook offered to publicise this on his Twitter account. The Re-use Revolution campaign in February will highlight the statistic that an estimated £2 billion worth of DIY tools are gathering dust in people’s homes and the need to consider sharing and hiring tools rather than buying new.

8. Any other business

The CELO informed members that Stratiji would be retiring and this would probably be her last CLG meeting.  She was warmly thanked for her work over the years helping Renewi and BDR with their communications.

9. Date, time and venue for next meeting

This will be a face-to-face meeting at the Visitor Centre at Manvers on Tuesday, 10th May at 6pm, following a tour of the facility for new members at 4pm.