Recycling Provision and Bottom Ash Usage

The request was successful.

Dear City of York Council,

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. I am outlining my query as specifically as possible.

I would like to understand the Authority’s recycling provision, including details of existing Bottom Ash recycling contracts, and the Authority’s future plans for recycling and environmental responsibility and sustainability.

I am interested in any information held by you regarding my
request. I understand that under the Act, I do not have to specify particular files or documents and that it is your department's responsibility to provide the information I require. If you need further clarification, please contact me by email.

I would like to receive the information as electronic copy, via WhatDoTheyKnow.com.

If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you cite one of the Freedom of Information Act exemptions for each piece of information you refuse to release. I would also expect you to release all non-exempt material. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to charge excessive fees.

I should be entitled to a response within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Akinya

City of York Council

Dear Mr Akinya

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom Of Information Act 2000, of which we acknowledge receipt.

Your request has been passed to the appropriate officer to provide a response as soon as possible, and in any event within 20 working days, as required by the Act.

Kind regards

Paul Atkinson, for

Information Governance Officer
City of York Council
Telephone 01904 552933
[City of York Council request email]

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Donnelly, Shaun, City of York Council

2 Attachments

For the attention of Michael Akinya

I refer to your recent enquiry about the current provision of recycling
services and plans for the future.

City of York Council (CYC) is a unitary authority and is responsible for
the waste management functions of a Waste Disposal Authority (WDA) and a
Waste Collection Authority (WCA).

This dual role of WDA/WCA means that CYC is therefore responsible for the
collection, treatment and disposal of municipal waste that is under its
control within the area.

To fulfil the above mentioned responsibilities a range of statutory and
discretionary services are provided:

Waste Disposal Authority

·       Waste Disposal  (Statutory) - Duty under the Environmental
Protection Act 1990 to make arrangements for the disposal of controlled
waste arising from WCA and WDA operations.

·       Household Waste Recycling Centres (Statutory) - CYC has a duty
under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Part ll Section 51 (1)(b)) to
arrange for places to be provided at which persons resident in its area
may deposit their household waste free of charge.  This duty is discharged
by the provision of 3 household waste recycling centres in York.

·       Waste Prevention & Minimisation (Discretionary) - Encouraging
householders and businesses to take more responsibility for the waste they
produce.  This is achieved by delivering a programme of targeted campaigns
covering home composting, food waste, packaging, real nappies, charity
shops, schools education etc. 

Waste Collection Authority

·       Residual Waste Collection / Households (Statutory) - Duty under
section 45(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to collect
household waste in the area.  Standard policy is for alternate weekly
collection of refuse from households.  In 2010/2011, a regular collection
service was provided to approximately 85,240 households.

·       Kerbside Recycling / Households (Statutory) - The Household Waste
Recycling Act 2003 requires that households are provided with a kerbside
collection service for at least two recyclables.  Standard policy is for a
fortnightly collection of recycling from households.  In 2010/2011, a
regular kerbside recycling service was provided to approximately 84,980
households.

·       Green Waste Collection / Households (Discretionary) - Standard
policy is for a fortnightly collection of garden waste at suitable
properties during the summer and with a less frequent service in the
winter period.  In 2010/2011, a free garden waste collection service was
regularly provided to more than 63,000 households. 

·       Bulky Items Collection (Discretionary) - In 2010/2011, more than
2,750 chargeable bulky collections were carried out.  The Controlled Waste
Regulations 1992 provides the basis for charging for this service.

·       Bring Recycling Sites (Discretionary) - Approximately 50 bring
recycling sites are provided at public car parks, supermarket car parks
and various other locations.

·       Commercial Waste (Statutory) - Duty under section 45(1)(b) of the
Environmental Protection Act 1990 to collect waste from businesses when
requested to do so.

The attached ‘Waste Management Services - Briefing Paper’ report was
recently provided to the Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee to
help them review performance in key waste management service areas.  The
report includes detailed information about our waste management strategy,
services and performance, and identifies options for developing and
improving all these aspects of our work.  This process is helping to shape
the development of ‘Zero Waste York’, a waste management and minimisation
strategy for York for the period from 2012 to 2015.  This strategy will be
presented to Councillors for their consideration in the near future. 

‘Zero Waste York’ is about going even further to reduce the impact of
waste on our local environment.  This means minimising the waste that we
produce, conserving resources and recovering all value from waste in
clever simple ways.  Key objectives of ‘Zero Waste York’ include:

·       To engage the public and businesses in bringing about a change in
culture so that waste prevention is widely known and people are aware of
what they can do to make a make a contribution.

·       To motivate people and provide encouragement, through the ‘Zero
Waste York’ programme, to take action to reduce their waste.

·       For the council to be the lead authority in setting an example for
waste prevention within its own services and buildings.

·       To partner with various voluntary and community sector
organisations to promote waste prevention campaigns and messages.

‘Zero Waste York’ will help maintain our momentum in the challenge to keep
reducing waste and move away from being a throwaway society.  It provides
the framework through which we can build and focus all of our waste
management and minimisation work.  This enables us to develop more
effective links with other sustainable development work being undertaken
within the council and through external organisations and community
groups.  All of this work will help to deliver the corporate aim of
reducing York’s CO2 emissions.

In response to your other query, I should like to inform you that the
majority of residual waste is currently sent to landfill for disposal so
there is no requirement for any bottom ash recycling.

I trust that the information provided is satisfactory.  Please do not
hesitate to contact me, however, if you should have any queries or need
any additional information.

Regards,

Shaun  Donnelly | Waste Management Officer

t: 01904 553200 | e: [1][email address]

City of York Council | Waste Services

Eco Depot | Hazel Court | York YO10 3DX

[2]www.york.gov.uk | [3]facebook.com/cityofyork |[4]@CityofYork

Join the Zero Waste York campaign to make York a greener more vibrant
place to live!

[5]www.zerowasteyork.wordpress.com | facebook.com/zerowasteyork|
@ZeroWasteYork

<<Waste Management Services - Briefing Paper.pdf>> <<Annex 1 - Kerbside
Recycling Survey.pdf>>

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