Meeting documents

ITEM EX18

EXECUTIVE – 11 DECEMBER 2001

JOINT HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY – OUTCOME OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Report by Director of Environmental Services

1. On June 2001 the Environmental Committee approved a draft Joint Household Waste Management Strategy (Appendix A) as a basis for public consultation. The consultation has been completed and the outcome is reported below.

The Consultation

2. The consultation was carried out jointly by the County and District Councils during September/October. 30,000 consultation leaflets were distributed to householders across Oxfordshire at roadshows, libraries and local authority offices. Over 1,700 responses to the consultation were received. Every Town and Parish Council in Oxfordshire was invited to attend one of a series of consultation meetings.

Public Consultation Results

3. The public were invited to give their views on the ten key policies in the strategy and how they could be implemented. Between 89% and 98% of respondents agreed with the various policies.
4. Over 700 people provided more detailed responses to the consultation. The following issues were raised most frequently and with greatest emphasis:-

• Plastic packaging must be reduced, schemes for recycling plastic should be set up.
• Recycling must be made as easy and simple as possible by increasing the scope and efficiency of the kerbside recycling schemes and providing more and better equipped local recycling centres.
• People must be educated and persuaded to adopt a responsible approach towards management of their wastes.
• Materials Reuse and Exchange schemes must be implemented.

5. Over 100 representatives from town and parish councils throughout Oxfordshire attended a consultation meeting. The results of the meetings indicated that, in general, the councils agreed with the 10 key policies.
6. The main points raised were as follows:

• People need practical advice on how to manage their waste more effectively. There should be a sustained programme to provide education and information on waste management to everyone in Oxfordshire.
• Households must play a leading role in any strategy with emphasis on waste separation and recycling within the home.
• Flytipping is a major issue in Oxfordshire and its negative impact should be taken into account when designing new waste management schemes.
• The environmental impact of energy from waste plants and other new waste technologies is unclear at present.
• There should be more information for households to enable them to participate fully in District Council recycling collection schemes.
• Local community waste action and the establishment of local champions were highlighted as excellent ways of improving recycling and encouraging local community involvement.

7. There is widespread support for the 10 key policies set out in the draft strategy. Many of the points raised during consultation concern the detailed implementation of the key policies. These will be taken into account when implementing the strategy. Further consultation will be carried out during implementation of the strategy to ensure that the strategy is responsive to the views of local people.

Waste Management Joint Advisory Sub-Committee

8. On 14 November 2001, the Waste Management Joint Advisory Sub-Committee recommended that its constituent authorities adopt the strategy.

RECOMMENDATIONS

9. It is RECOMMENDED that, in the light of the responses received from local councils, members of the public and stakeholders, the consultation draft of the Joint Household Waste Management Strategy be approved as the Oxfordshire Joint Household Waste Management Strategy.