Green Waste Collectionand

Management at Civic Amenity Centres

Mark Heesom

14th March 2006

Cré Green Waste Composting

Collection / Management Options

Household Green Waste

Home Composting

Direct Segregated Collection

Civic Amenity Sites

Local ‘Bring Centres’

Compost BinsMulching

Home Composting

Advantages• Minimal establishment costs• No ongoing collection requirement• Rapid roll out• Product reused locally• Managed by householder

Disadvantages• Managed by householder!• Requires ongoing management / encouragement / monitoring• Significant drop out rate • Quantifying actual tonnage/percentage recovered • Can the LA count the recovery rate towards their own figures?

• Doesn't work too well in flats…

Civic Amenity Centres

• Most common form of green waste ‘collection’ at present

• Majority of people familiar with CA sites

Key Issues for Operators• Contamination• Transportation and Servicing• Uneven loading of sites throughout year• Storage on Site

How can we deal with some of these issues?

What is Green Waste?

• Crucial staff are well trained and informed• In turn they can inform public

CA Site Signage

Redbridge CA SiteOxford

Ballyogan CRFDun Laoghaire Rathdown

Information Systems

Leaflet Display AreaLeeds

Composting LeafletsRedbridge, Oxford

Transport and Servicing

•Capacity issues on site esp. in summer months•Compaction is essential tool for busier sites•Significant resource requirement esp. in summer (skips and vehicles)

Storage of Green Waste on Site

Three key storage methods:• Skips

• Inexpensive• Universal• Require higher level access• Can be difficult to remove contamination

• Bays• Easy to use• Easy to empty (does require loading equipment)• Can be untidy

• Compactor Bins• More accessible than skips• Expensive• Require greater staff time

Important to remember• Safety (esp. public and service vehicles/equipment)• Need for regular rotation of waste

CA Site Infrastructure

Split level design(Alton, Hampshire)

Slots for DepositionSherbourne, Dorset

Compost Resale

Sherbourne HWCDorset

Co-Location of CA Siteand Process Centre

Advantages• Significant transport savings

• Visible closed loop process encouraging public participation and buy in

• Easy opportunities for re-sale

• Process Control

Disadvantages• Concern by residents over:

•Pathogen release•Dust•Noise•Vermin

• Space constraints

• Problematic in urban areas

CA Site Best Practice

• Prominent well placed signage

• Clear and consistent signage on each container showing what can and cannot be deposited

• Contractual arrangements which incentivise recycling– Esp. incentives for facility operator– Consider user incentive schemes (discounts, reusable bags, free compost)

• Split level systems for easy access

• Good feedback to the public / users

• Ensure residual waste skips last in line or ‘out of way’

• Education / Information systems– Web sites– Leaflets– School visits / information

CA Site Best Practice

• Good health and safety practices

• High level of staff knowledge– Friendly and helpful

• ‘Closed Loop’ systems– Sale of compost product on facility

• Sale of composting products– Home compost bins/systems

Local Bring Centres

• Based on principal of existing Dry Recyclable Bring Centres• Dedicated collection container for Green / Organic Waste only• Could be co-located with other segregated collection systems

Advantages• Could be located locally to green waste producers i.e. housing estates• Simple rollout method• Cost effective modular installation system• Doesn't require extra household bin• Require developers to install a part of planning permissions?...

Challenges• Perception and Acceptance by Public• Whole new infrastructure system• Contamination Issues (already exist with Dry Recyclables on unmanned

systems)

Local Bring Centres

Conclusion

• Optimum green waste management system would take a holistic view

• Integrate multiple forms of management working in conjunction

Home Composting System

Bring Centre System

Civic Amenity Sites

Separate Round Collection Least Desirable

Most Desirable

• Mgmt Cost• Mgmt Time• Resource Rqmt

Conclusion

• Requires significant investment for such a concept to become reality

• Sea change in attitude and perception required• Considerable need for education and information

whichever system is adopted• Essential to get public ‘buy in’ esp. for segregated

collection (CA Sites, Doorstep Collection)

References

Operating Civic Amenity Sites SafelyHealth and Safety Executive

Best Practice Guide‘Maximising Diversion at Household Waste Recycling Centres’S3 Environmental Solutions Ltd

National assessment of Civic Amenity Sites‘Maximising Recycling Rates at Civic Amenity Sites’Future West Network Recycling

Managing Garden Waste at Civic Amenity Centres‘Good Practice Guide’WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme)