Memorandum submitted by the London Borough
of Southwark (N49)
THE LINK BETWEEN RECYCLING AND STREET
CLEANING
1. BACKGROUND—THE
LONDON BOROUGH
OF SOUTHWARK
The London Borough of Southwark comprises an
area of 28.9 square km, reaching from the river Thames in the
north to Dulwich in the south, a distance of over six miles and
is bounded on the east and west by Lewisham and Lambeth respectively.
Current estimates place the population of the
borough at 243,000, a figure which is projected to rise by a further
12% by 2021 to 272,000. In addition, two areas of the borough,
Elephant and Castle and London Bridge have been identified as
areas for major change to help meet London's strategic objectives.
Southwark is a borough of substantial contrasts,
accommodating some of the poorest as well as some of the wealthiest
people in the capital but with a balance very much towards the
former, with high and concentrated areas of deprivation. The majority
of Southwark residents live in social housing and the Council
is the third largest landlord in London.
Additionally, Southwark's significant social
deprivation is measured by high rates of unemployment and low
income. Statistically, Southwark is the 9th most deprived borough
in England and Wales. 12% of households are headed by lone parents
and 43% of children live in low earning households with either
no wage earner, or a part time employed single parent.
Alongside these socio-economic indicators, are
health ones, indicating that the overall levels of health both
for young people and adults are substantially depressed in relation
to both London and national averages. Approximately 600 children
are looked after by Social Services, the highest percentage rate
of child population in the country and there are now a significant
number, about 7,000, of refugees whose numbers have been increasing
over the last few years.
The extent of the cultural diversity can be
measured by the fact that about 80 languages are spoken within
the borough's schools. The majority of the ethnic minority population
is drawn from African countries and the Caribbean with significant
but smaller communities of Turkish, Bangladesh, and Vietnamese
origin.
2. WASTE MANAGEMENT—THE
CHALLENGE FOR
SOUTHWARK
— low levels of recycling, currently
5%, that are not keeping pace with waste arisings;
— waste arisings increasing unsustainably,
up to 4% across London;
— rising costs of waste management;
— pressure from the EU and the UK Government
to reduce reliance on landfill;
— disposal options for London with
limited landfill space beyond 2007;
— more waste must be recycled, composted
or used in energy recovery schemes;
— ambitious targets for London contained
in the Mayors strategy;
— new legislation requiring increasing
segregation of waste (end of life vehicles (ELV), waste electrical
and electronic equipment (WEEE), ); and
— Surveys that consistently highlight
the fact that residents place a high importance on cleanliness,
whilst recycling remains a relatively unimportant issue. See Fig
1.
Fig 1. Satisfaction and Importance
of Southwark Council Services
Source: Mori residents' survey 2002.
3. SOUTHWARK'S
DRAFT WASTE
MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
Historically, the application of the waste hierarchy
(reduce, reuse, recycle, recovery, disposal) in Southwark has
been focused on disposal by incineration and landfill. Southwark
handled 131,858 tonnes of municipal waste in 2001-02, 103,777
of which was household waste. 62% was transferred to landfill
sites, 34% incinerated and 3.6% was recycled. However, influences
of Government strategy (Waste Strategy 2000) and European directives
are steering Southwark towards the development of an integrated
sustainable waste management system.
The Council has recently produced a Draft Waste
Management Strategy, to help plan for the next 20 years.
Objective
"Southwark Council will strive to provide
an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective operation for the
disposal of all controlled waste arising within the Borough through
its continued commitment to the principles of sustainable development,
Best Value and the waste hierarchy."
Principles
— reduce total waste arisings through
the promotion of waste minimisation;
— recover value from waste that would
otherwise be disposed of in landfill; and
— minimise the social, environmental
and financial impact of waste management.
Key Aims
— Options for waste management operations
will be considered based on the waste hierarchy.
— To limit the growth in Municipal
Solid Waste arisings to 2% per year.
The strategy proposes the targets set out in
table 1 for recycling of household waste and recovery of value
for Municipal Solid Waste.
Table 1: Southwark's Recycling and Recovery
Targets
| Year | Recycling/Composting
Household Waste
| Recovery of value
Municipal Solid Waste
|
| 2003-04 | 10% | 35%
|
| 2004-05 | 14% | 37.5%
|
| 2005-06 | 18% | 40%
|
| 2010-11 | 30% | 45%
|
| 2015-16 | 40% | 67%
|
| 2020-21 | 50% | 75%
|
Strategy reviews will be undertaken annually in line with
the following three phases:
| Phase 1: 2003-04—2005-06 | establishment of new systems, begin public information campaign, establish contractual arrangements to facilitate new waste facility
|
| Phase 2: 2007-10 | expansion and modification of systems established, expansion of waste minimisation campaign, establish new waste management facility
|
| Phase 3: 2011-21 | Consolidation and expansion of existing schemes and facilities, further promotion of waste minimisation and reuse.
|
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4. DELIVERING THE
STRATEGY
Kerbside Collection
— In July 2002, the Council's blue box paper recycling
scheme was expanded to serve approximately 50,000 street dwellings
and we are investigating the cost and operational requirements
to expand this to collect further recyclates.
The Brimmington Estate
— A Neighbourhood Renewal Funded pilot Estate Recycling
Project on the Brimmington Estate in Peckham has been developed
in partnership with Southwark Housing as a model for the future.
The doorstep collection of paper and cans began in December 2002
and will run for 6 months. The learning from the scheme will inform
the introduction of recycling on other estates. In addition to
residents, local schools are involved in the scheme.
Estates Recycling
— The Council has recently submitted a bid to secure
both revenue and capital from the London Recycling Fund to introduce
recycling facilities on all of the borough's 250 plus Housing
estates. The bid is supported with over £900,000 of funding
from the Council over the next two years.
Working with the Voluntary Sector
— Southwark works and supports the voluntary sector
through the provision of grants to enable the recycling and reuse
of office furniture and computer equipment and the provision of
recycling and waste minimisation advice to businesses. In addition,
the voluntary sector worked closely with Southwark to produce
the Borough's Waste Strategy and review the current bring recycling
facilities.
Developing the Infrastructure
— A former swimming baths on the site of the current
waste transfer station (Manor Place Depot) is to be renovated
to become the focus of recycling activities in the borough. Funding
of £364,000 from London Recycling Fund has assisted in the
project, which was match funded by the Council.
— The Council's Civic Amenity site has been relocated,
reengineered and re-branded to provide a reuse and recycling centre
for the borough. This initiative again drew on London Recycling
Fund money.
Bring Site Review
— The boroughs 66 bring sites have been inspected
and the position of each bank and the weight of recyclates collected
has been reviewed. A report has been produced, with recommendations
and associated costs for re-siting some existing banks/exchanging
them for eurobins and expanding the number of sites across the
Borough. This initiative is due to be completed early in 2003-04
and is an important strand to compliment both the blue box collection
and estates recycling project.
Schools Recycling
— Paper recycling through our blue box scheme has
been introduced into over 50 schools in the Borough with complete
coverage expected during 2003-04.
Christmas Tree Recycling
— 25 tonnes of Christmas trees were recycled in
early January.
Green Waste Recycling
— A pilot scheme for the collection of garden waste
is to be undertaken over four months in the spring / summer 2003.
Land and Depots
— The current waste infrastructure, even with recent
enhancements, is not sufficient to help Southwark reach its long-term
targets. Hence one of the keys to moving forward in the medium
to long-term is the creation of the infrastructure to assist in
the delivery of services in a different way. The recently produced
draft UDP clearly addresses the issue of designation of sites
for waste purposes and creates the inextricable link between planning
and delivery against our targets.
Education and Community Interaction
— Southwark Slimes—a short video featuring
a family who don't recycle. The video highlights why people should
recycle and what Southwark is doing to encourage participation
in recycling initiatives from all sections of the community.
— Education and Promotions Officer (Funded from
Landfill Tax Credits) is the cornerstone of taking forward the
Council's recycling and waste minimisation education programme,
working with schools on promoting sustainable waste management
issues; supporting practical programmes and examining the viability
of new sustainable waste initiatives for Southwark.
5. THE FUTURE—TAKING
AN HOLISTIC
APPROACH
Southwark, whilst recognising that traditional recycling
provision provides the main route to reaching Government targets,
also believes in the need for a holistic approach to how waste
is managed in order to advance recycling and waste minimisation
in the Borough. To compliment the actions outlined above the Council
is reviewing the following to see how they can complement recycling
initiatives and help to change people's attitude to waste:
— street cleansing operations;
— refuse collection operations;
— public educational and awareness programmes around
civic responsibility;
— the effect of legislation on waste activities;
— the "liveability" agenda; and
— areas of legislative change required to drive
the waste agenda forward.
It is the belief of Southwark Council that changing peoples
habits is not only about providing opportunities to recycle but
also about education of the community. The following examples
of how we are developing this approach;
New Contractual Arrangements for borough cleaning
From April 2003, Southwark will create a new modern public
sector organisation that has the ethos of flexibility, high quality
and rapid service improvement. The new organisation has a clear
and simple objective—"a cleaner greener borough"
and has been established to a deliver a stepped change in cleanliness
and recycling across the borough. Underpinning this approach is
the requirement to ensure waste arisings from the contract are
separated for recycling wherever possible. In addition, an approach
of ownership, accountability and visible presence is being developed,
to demonstrate the Council's commitment to managing waste effectively
as a lead for residents and businesses to follow.
Enforcement and education
Southwark's view is that the role of enforcement is to educate
and raise awareness of all forms of envirocrime and is taking
an innovative approach to this. A programme of modernisation will
ensure that nine officers are dedicated to enforcement, in addition
to using operational staff as "environmental bounty hunters",
a scheme whereby operatives collect and collate evidence to assist
in progressing enforcement activity.
Achievements to date include:
— 270 FPN's issued for littering and dog fouling;
87% of which have been paid.
— 22 cases pending prosecution for envirocrime.
— 36 companies targeted for fly posting recouping
£45,000 in remediation funds.
— Trade waste collection market share increased
by 3%, through active enforcement and educative activity.
— Launch of a publicity campaign to raise awareness
of the problems of dumping and littering and the fact that it
is a crime.
— The establishment of honey traps for graffiti
artists, in conjunction with the police.
Partnership Working
Street Action Teams are a new problem solving approach by
Southwark Council's Environment and Leisure Department to the
management of local environment issues. Other agencies, notably
the police, have also recognised the impact that environmental
quality has on community safety and are moving to a partnership
approach to tackle these issues. It has become clear that a more
integrated problem solving approach is the best means of achieving
a significant, sustainable improvement in the environment. SAT
members bring information from their specialist groups about actions
planned for the area and take a responsibility that is broader
than their specialist functions. The aim is to engender greater
ownership, knowledge and familiarity of the SAT area to ensure
a speedier resolution of issues.
Southwark has also introduced Neighbourhood Wardens in Bermondsey
and Street Wardens in Peckham, and hope to eventually cover the
whole borough with a network of wardens. Most recently we have
submitted a bid to the ODPM for a further scheme in Camberwell.
The Peckham Wardens offer a highly visible presence and have
received praise from the community and local press for getting
to grips with problems. The scheme is deterring anti-social behaviour,
reducing crime and the fear of crime and promoting community safety.
Southwark is also about to launch its "Streetleader"
scheme. We are asking 100 residents to put themselves forwards
as "champions" for their streets, local areas and communities.
They are active residents to want to "do their bit"
for waste and recycling, care for their environment and show others
the way forward.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
CHANGE
Funding
Environmental management is a key priority for Southwark
Council. However, we are concerned about the inadequacy of funding
that is allocated by the government to environmental management.
ECPS funding does no more than keep pace with inflation and
with issues such as increasing waste generation and enhanced regulation,
the burdens these bring result in there being no real increase
in available money.
The funding gap is further widened by the increasing costs
for waste disposal as well as the requirement of local authorities
to meet statutory targets for recycling, which have been arbitrarily
imposed without consideration of local context.
Southwark has worked with other central London authorities
to demonstrate that high levels of population density combined
with large numbers of visitor's places tremendous stresses on
EPC services. Our research identified particularly severe pressures
in street cleaning, waste collection and waste disposal.
Furthermore our research found that recycling is more difficult
in highly populated areas, particularly in high-rise estates.
To ensure authorities such as Southwark are able to take forward
waste management it is essential that the government takes funding
decisions with regard to the wider context.
As an example of our frustration funding for the correct
collection and disposal of fridges put enormous pressure on resources,
as it only became available long after the money had been spent.
With pending legislation, such as WEEE and ELV and the difficulties
this will bring in terms of a reverse effect on recycling, as
fly tipping will increase, we are concerned that not enough pressure
is being put on manufacturers in some areas and would support
the widening of this where possible.
In terms of future funding we would suggest that an innovative
approach is adopted to solve the problems highlighted above—the
negotiation of a Public Service Agreement which, instead of rewarding
success, penalises failure, ie the negotiation of a PSA in which
the expansion of recycling is pump primed on the basis that if
we fail to meet agreed targets the money spent is clawed back.
Legislation
In terms of changes in legislation we have focused on issues,
which frustrate us most, and clearly demonstrates the link between
effective management of waste and achieving higher recycling rates.
People who continue to fly tip on our streets reduce increase
our waste arisings and hence reduce our recycling performance.
Most of the material fly tipped is either industrial waste or
commercial waste The Council is therefore seeking changes that
will allow Local Authorities to:
— Seize vehicles involved in fly-tipping (Control
of Pollution Act—only the EA have authority to do this currently).
— Serve notices under the duty of care, which will
require all those who produce, store, transport and dispose of
waste to produce evidence to Local Authorities on who collects
their waste, are they authorised to collect it and where it is
taken to. (Environmental Protection Act 1990).
— Prosecute under the duty of care (as above).
Enable the Environment Agency and Local Authorities to serve
fixed penalty fines on:
— unregistered waste carriers to be used in roadside
checks to be organised by either the EA or LA and at other times
by both the EA and LA's; and
— businesses unable to demonstrate compliance with
the duty of care (waste transfer notes).
All of these powers are essential to Local Authorities being
able to have a real impact on not only raising recycling performance
but also improving the environment, community perceptions and
help promote a more responsible attitude to the management of
waste.
Generally
We would also wish to seek support in the following areas;
— Government run national campaigns to change cultures
around waste and recycling.
— More debate on legitimate and cost effective alternatives
to incineration that address the economic pressures and restraints
correctly. In particular we would wish the government to explore
the introduction of a green tax that promotes alternative waste
treatment methods.
— The Government to encourage more and better markets
for recyclates through either a tax on the use of virgin materials
for some products or the requirement of minimum recyclate content
for materials such as newsprint.
— The Government to continue the debate on enforcing
payment for taking rubbish away over and above recycling, or enforcing
small bins only for domestic non recycling.
— The Government to provide seed funding for the
establishment of new waste treatment facilities within London,
which London local authorities can buy into without undertaking
extensive procurement, exercises such as PFI.
To sum up, Southwark is committed to not only increasing
recycling within the borough but also changing the culture of
how waste is managed. However, to achieve this we need support
on a number of fronts all of which are within the remit of central
Government.
London Borough of Southwark
January 2003
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