Somerset Waste Partnership

Briefing for Members, Partners and Staff

May 2018

Managing waste and recycling services for all authorities in Somerset

Recycling plastic packaging

All 16 Somerset recycling sites can now

take rigid plastic food and other

household pots, tubs and trays (PTT) in

the skips also used for plastic bottles.

Plastic bottles remain the only plastic

we can accept at the kerbside, so

please do not add PTT to kerbside

recycling boxes.

It is planned to add new materials, such

as PTT, beverage cartons (tetrapaks),

batteries and small electrical items to

the kerbside collections, as the Recycle

More service rolls out from 2020. We’re

working hard to procure a new

contractor, new vehicles and improved

depots to enable this.

Suitable for recycling at all recycling

centres:

Plastic pots for yoghurt, soup, face

cream, hair gel.

Plastic tubs for margarine, ice cream,

laundry tabs.

Plastic trays (including black plastic)

for meat, ready meals, and plastic

punnets for fruit and mushrooms.

Please remove all foil, film covers,

absorbent pads and card. Rinse out

any contents and squash items to fit

more in the skips.

Not suitable for recycling are plastic

films, such as cling film, bubble wrap,

carrier bags and film covers; plastic

paint pots, plant pots or seed trays; or

other plastics, such as toys, garden

furniture, car parts, CDs, DVDs, VHS

cases or tapes.

Pledge against Preventable

Plastic

SWP has also launched a new postcard

size “Pledge Against Preventable

Plastic” with six easily-adopted ideas to

cut down on plastic. To sign up to the

pledge visit our website -

https://www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/acton-

plastics/. Hard copies are available

on request for organisations, such as

parish councils. For bulk copies, email

enquiries@somersetwaste.gov.uk.

Recycle More procurement

The procurement process for the new

Recycle More kerbside service (extra

materials collected weekly for recycling

and rubbish collected every three

weeks) was launched in May. Over the

summer and autumn SWP will be in

dialogue with the selected suppliers. To

ensure that Somerset Waste Board can

review the outcome of the first stage of

the competitive dialogue process and

any changes to the final specification,

an additional Board meeting has been

arranged for 19 October.

Schools Against Waste update

SWP’s Schools Against Waste project

with Carymoor Environmental Trust is

going from strength to strength with

dozens of visits to primary schools

either completed or booked for the

summer or autumn term. Unsurprisingly,

as pupils learn the new 3Rs – reduce

reuse recycle – the Fantastic Plastic

workshop is proving very popular. To

find out more about how your school

can receive a visit from the team visit

https://www.carymoor.org.uk/trips/schoo

ls-against-waste

Managing waste and recycling services for all local authorities in Somerset

Seeking local Food Champions

SWP is running a further free Food

Champion training event on 19 July at

Oaklands Primary School, Yeovil

(booking essential). Trained volunteers

take waste prevention messages into

their community.

Training may be beneficial for people

providing support for others on

budgeting, life skills, eating well or

greener living where the resources can

complement existing activities.

For more information and booking

please see:

https://www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/tackl

ing-food-waste/

Safe gas canister disposal

Viridor, SWP’s recycling site contractor,

has been running a national campaign

to remind the public of the dangers of

unsafe disposal of gas canisters,

including smaller camping cylinders and

those used for garden heaters and grills.

Ahead of summer barbeques, when

residents may be purchasing new gas

cylinders, residents are reminded NOT

to dispose of gas cylinders in their

refuse bins but to return these to their

gas retailer. Alternatively, for a small

fee, spent gas cylinders can be taken to

a recycling centre.

Incorrect disposal of gas canisters that

still contain flammable liquids and gases

can lead to dangerous and costly

explosions and fires if they are crushed

or broken in rubbish trucks, at recycling

centres or on landfill sites. Other risky

items in rubbish bins include: hot coals,

batteries aerosols. Our advice:

www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/slider/howto-

prevent-a-blaze-in-your-refuse-bin/

Latest media releases

Recent communications included:

Celebrating in May need not cost the

earth

All recycling sites take plastic food

pots, tubs and trays

Treat your garden to a compost bin

this spring

Somerset Waste Board

SWP is the executive arm of SWB, with

two members nominated by each of the

six Somerset partner councils, one of

which must be the portfolio holder for

waste and/or the environment. The

Chair and Vice-Chair are elected at the

Board AGM from its membership. The

next SWB meeting is the AGM on

Friday 29 June 2018. SWB meeting

agendas, papers and reports are

available online. For more on SWP,

SWB and waste services:

www.somersetwaste.gov.uk.

SWB membership by council is:

 Mendip – Cllrs Nigel Woollcombe-

Adams (Vice Chair), Nigel Taylor

 Sedgemoor – Cllrs Dawn Hill, Gill

Slocombe

 Somerset County – David Hall,

Clare Aparicio Paul

 South Somerset – Cllrs Jo Roundell

Greene, Derek Yeomans (Chairman)

 Taunton Deane Borough – Cllrs

Patrick Berry, Gwilym Wren

 West Somerset – Cllrs Martin

Dewdney, Brenda Maitland-Walker

Information on SWP services

For all advice and information, visit

www.somersetwaste.gov.uk. Follow us

on Facebook and Twitter. Sign-up to

our e-zine on our website. All partners’

customer service helplines can assist

with service enquiries.