Waste
MPs: Government waste strategy overly-prescriptive
The Government’s proposed waste strategy is ‘overly-prescriptive’ and local authorities should be given the freedom to tailor their approach, MPs have said.
There’s still a long way to go on the road to recycling
We should not be spending less on recycling, but more, according to Heather Jameson. The Government needs to legislate to cut waste at its source.
Councils hit out at standardisation drive
Council figures have hit out at a government consultation to standardise recycling across the country.
Letting teams redesign their own way to success
Adele Taylor says the impressive results of a LEAN approach to eliminating waste show that involving the very people who undertake tasks in redesigning a process means they are more invested in making it work.
Waste strategy could lead to bins boom - DCN
Millions of already produced hard-to-recycle plastic receptacles may be made redundant by the Government’s new waste strategy, the District Councils’ Network (DCN) has warned.
Tackle the producers of plastics first
The Government is consulting on consistency in household and business waste recycling collections. But Paul Shevlin asks if the numbers stack up, in resource and environmental terms.
Using the right approach to recycling in Swansea
Wales is ‘surging ahead’ in terms of performance in the UK on recycling, says Chris Howell – and he describes how Swansea City & CC is achieving its impressive results.
Can you afford not to respond to the Resources and Waste consultations?
The Government has explicitly committed to funding councils to implement the proposals in Defra’s new Resources and Waste strategy, says Peter Maddox. It needs local government input to the consultations that are open until mid-May.
Counting the cost of Defra's waste plans
A plethora of issues affecting districts keeps emerging from Whitehall, says Ian Miller - but making it easier for those with two homes to know which bin to use is not a sensible basis for policy development.
Union power games in Birmingham will not help create jobs
Paul Wheeler is sure the cause of the Birmingham bin dispute has its roots in a struggle over equal pay for equal work. What cannot have helped is a 'noisy inter-union dispute'.
Shock tactics in the war on waste
As large cities continue to grow we must get smarter at dealing with waste, says Nick Kemp. He outlines how Newcastle City Council's communications team came up with a 10-tonne high way of grabbing people’s attention and keeping them engaged.
End in sight for Birmingham bin dispute
The industrial dispute between Birmingham City Council and trade union Unite is expected to come to an end this week.
Council faces soaring waste contract costs
Derbyshire Dales DC is braced for a hike in costs when its waste and recycling contract with Serco expires next year.
Concerns raised over waste consultation length
Concerns have been raised that the consultation period on three major pieces of policy could be slashed from the standard 12 weeks.
We are ready to engage with councils to achieve higher recycling levels
The Government’s recently published Resources & Waste Strategy for England sets an ambitious course for the future. WRAP is ready to engage with councils to help deliver the shared goal of higher recycling, says Peter Maddox
Recycling that makes a difference
Each Christmas Rushcliffe BC collects food and clothes for a local homeless charity - and the waste teams take huge pride in collecting the thousands of items that are picked up at the same time residents put out their wheeled bins, says David Banks
Brum threatens legal action against union
Birmingham City Council has threatened trade union Unite with the prospect of a court order as industrial action by refuse workers continues.
Clancy escapes legal action over waste dispute
Birmingham City Council’s former leader will not face legal action for his part in the authority’s waste dispute.
The Government's Resources and Waste Strategy is ambitious and visionary
Government's new Resources and Waste Strategy provides the framework for reinvigorating the sector and brings some much longed for good news to local authority waste and recycling officers, says Victoria Hutchin.
Conwy defends ‘monthly’ bins regime amid complaints
Conwy Council has defended its decision to move to monthly rubbish collections, amid claims a local trial led to increased fly-tipping and unsanitary streets.