The ESA has today responded to Defra’s plans for the implementation of simpler recycling by welcoming continued flexibility for councils in the way they collect recycling and waste at the kerbside, but warned that services must still be efficient and effective as required by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reforms.
Simpler Recycling (previously known as collection consistency) is a set of policy reforms which aims to harmonise the range of materials collected at the kerbside by local authorities, as well as the way they are collected. These reforms are part of the Government’s wider Resources and Waste Strategy.
Although Government initially set out its revised plans for Simpler Recycling in October 2023, it subsequently consulted on proposals for certain exemptions to give councils some flexibility where it was necessary.
Defra today (9th May 2024) published its revised plans in response to the consultation, which allow councils to continue to collect commingled recyclable material, but which also require at least fortnightly collections of residual waste – alongside various other measures.
In response, Head of recycling policy at the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Patrick Brighty, said: “Today’s announcement will make life easier for householders by reducing confusion over what can and cannot be recycled while also preserving flexibility for councils over the way they collect recyclable materials at the kerbside.
The ESA supports measures that provide local authorities with the flexibility to determine their own collection model based on their own individual circumstances but, whatever the chosen solution, councils will need to demonstrate that their service choices deliver the efficient and effective recycling performance required by the new packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime.
Appropriate commingling of materials – which must be done carefully to avoid contamination and preserve quality – would minimise the number of bins required for householders and businesses and maintain an efficient collection service.
The details of today’s announcement should be viewed as the minimum baseline requirement and kerbside recycling services must meet the right levels of separation and recycling required by the EPR regime – which will ultimately fund them.”
