Decision details

Matter for Decision

The Environment Act 2021 required all councils to align their household waste and recycling services with new nationwide requirements known as ‘Simpler Recycling’ by 31 March 2026.

 

Greater Cambridge Shared Waste (GCSWS) already met many of the requirements, but the most pressing task was to introduce a weekly collection for food waste, for domestic households by 1 April 2026.

 

Our ability to progress this task has been hampered by a lack of information on additional grant funding from DEFRA. This was still awaited, but due to the scale of the project, Environment and Community Scrutiny Committee was being asked to approve the proposals and associated budget so that a start can be made on planning for the introduction of food waste weekly collections.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Climate Action and Environment

      i.          Endorsed the proposed approach for implementing mandatory weekly food waste   collections from 1st April 2026.

     ii.          Noted the potential costs to implement the weekly collection of food waste including the current capital allocation shortfall of approximately £200,000 and potential revenue shortfall (currently unknown.)

   iii.          Noted that costs had been included within the 2025/2026 Budget Setting Report.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

See Officer’s report.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Waste Policy, Change and Innovations Manager. Amended recommendations were set out on the addendum sheet:

 

      i.          Endorsed the proposed approach for implementing mandatory weekly food waste collections from 1st April 2026.

     ii.          Noted the potential costs to implement the weekly collection of food waste including the current capital allocation shortfall of £464,000 and potential revenue shortfall (currently unknown).

   iii.          Noted that costs have been included within the 2025/2026 Budget Setting Report.

   iv.          Delegated the decision to approve the use of The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) funding received to the Head of Finance so that Implementation can commence.

 

      i.          Endorsed the proposed approach for implementing mandatory weekly food waste   collections from 1st April 2026.

     ii.          Noted the potential costs to implement the weekly collection of food waste including the current capital allocation shortfall of approximately £200,000 and potential revenue shortfall (currently unknown.)

   iii.          Noted that costs had been included within the 2025/2026 Budget Setting Report.

 

The Head of Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.          Would aim to recruit and train up sufficient staff to cover the Waste Service. Agency staff would be used to cover any gaps in the short term.

     ii.          Public awareness campaigns would be undertaken to communicate what the Waste Service was doing and why regarding food waste, to maximise uptake and correct use of the new waste collection stream by residents.

   iii.          The County Council would be responsible for treatment of the collected food waste.

   iv.          Anaerobic digestion was suitable for biodegradable or non-biodegradable plastic bags in food caddies and all food types.

    v.          For dry recyclable materials, collected waste would go to a bulking facility in Waterbeach Facility, then onto the newly procured ReGEN MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) in Northern Ireland, and / or in UK Mainland in future.

 

The Executive Councillor said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.          Caddies would be provided that could be kept in peoples’ kitchens for any type of food waste. Any plastic bag could be used as liner. Central Government were rolling out a similar scheme nationally. Other local authorities had separate food waste collections to green bins.

     ii.          Food waste could be used to produce energy through anaerobic digestion; it was more valuable to use it that way instead of making compost (compost was unsuitable for some types of food such as dairy), and better than sending food waste to landfill.

   iii.          It was cheaper to roll out the food waste collection service to all households instead of doing it on an ad hoc basis to some properties. All would receive the same communication even if the household was already composting food waste.

   iv.          DEFRA funding for the service had just been confirmed as per details in the amended Officer report.

    v.          People (eg in large households or HMOs) could ask for extra bins/caddies as per green bins, but it was hoped the weekly collection service and discouragement of food waste would mitigate demand for this.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.