Last month it was revealed that staff from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council in South Wales have probed the contents of all 32,000 households there during the last eight years.
People found to be putting items that could be recycled in their black bin have been the subject of enforcement action which includes a fixed penalty notice of £100, and prosecution if it isn’t paid.
This has prompted Reform UK group leader Councillor Iain McIntosh (Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew) to ask for clarity on the issue in Powys.
Cllr McIntosh said: “Does Powys council currently use or plan to introduce any form of systematic monitoring or enforcement of individual households recycling activity for example, using tagged bins, collection-frequency adjustments, fines, or in-person inspections?”
“If so, please can you provide details of the policy or procedure, including the legal basis, the objectives, any anticipated cost to residents, and the timelines for implementation.”
Cabinet member for Highways, Transport and Recycling Councillor Jackie Charlton (Liberal Democrat – Llangattock and Llangynidr) explained that the council already has the powers to enforce the separation of materials by residents at the kerbside under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Cllr Charlton said: “This is used already through our crews not collecting unsorted recycling and leaving side waste.
“They will leave either a contamination card or sticker the side waste, so that residents are clear as to why this action has been taken.”
She said that the reason behind this is to make sure that residents fully use the weekly recycling collection “so that they can manage” the three-weekly collection of black bins.
Cllr Charlton said that help is given to larger households who need “extra space” in their black bin.
Cllr Charlton said: “Most residents in Powys use the services we provide correctly, and this is shown by the high recycling rates that we achieve.
“There are, however, some who consistently fail to recycle their waste, and it is these residents that we need to focus on. “
In July the Liberal, Democrat/Labour administration agreed the new five-year plan to deal with waste and recycling up to 2030.
The papers included an analysis of black bin waste from 2022 which showed that 45 per cent of the waste in black bins could have been recycled, and much of it was food waste.
Cllr Charlton continued: “By using the weekly food waste collections residents will often change their purchasing habits.
“Where residents do have problems, we are here to help with our awareness team.
“If all residents recycle all that they can, they can save money themselves as well as for the council and help conserve our environment for future generations.”
Cllr McIntosh has asked further questions on the issue which should be answered within 10 working days.
Food waste picture. By Elgan Hearn LDRSA black residual waste bin in Powys. Picture by Elgan Hearn LDRS
