A Proposal
WASTE and RESOURCES
Strategy and Action Plan for the FALMOUTH and PENRYN
Community Network Area
Area (Towns and Parishes):
Falmouth, Penryn, Mylor, Perranarworthal, St.Gluvias, Mabe, Constantine, Mawnan and Budock
The Context:
Climate Change and Resource Depletion; Energy and Food Security; Carbon Emissions and Renewable Energy targets; the need to conserve valuable natural resources; live within our ecological means; reduce reliance on landfill and treat waste as a positive resourceHousehold Waste Recycling Rates across the South-West 2011-13 show Cornwall at 35%; Devon County at 55%; Dorset and Somerset are both at 50% Oxfordshire is currently one of the leading authorities in the UK with a recycling rate of 60%. Wales has a rate of 52% with a target of zero waste by 2050 while Scotland has set itself a target of 70% of all its waste being recycled by 2025.
(in Cheshire West and Chester the recycling rate is currently at 56% which they calculate is the equivalent of a carbon footprint reduction of 31 million kilograms or taking 20,000 cars off the road)
AIM:
Deliver a Local Waste and Recycling Strategy based on resource conservation with Zero Waste the ultimate goal
Method:
- Focus on top three elements of the Waste Hierarchy – Reduction; Re-Use, and Recycling - and develop local genuinely renewable energy projects using local waste products
- Raise level of local awareness around waste and related issues
- Utilize findings of community, parish and neighbourhood plans
- Develop partnership working between local communities and their representatives by setting up a local Waste and Resources Action Group to implement a local plan
Action Required:
-
Precycling : reducing waste at source
- Reduction in all packaging across the Community Network Area
Action: approach local retailers/businesses and their representatives; Chambers of Commerce; Federation of Small Businesses; Hotels and Tourism Organizations for support
Action: lobby national retailers and companies e.g. supermarkets and convenience stores - Phase out PVC and make other plastic packaging uniformly recyclable
Action: lobby Government, M.P s and the Packaging Industry - Phase out non-recyclable plastic carrier bags
Action: encourage use of reusable Jute, Cotton and Corn Starch bags instead of plastic across the Community Network Area
Action: support introduction of 5p plastic bag levy and encourage all retailers to follow suit
(there is growing concern based on sound research over the detrimental effect plastics in various forms are having both on land and in the marine environment) - Promote local food producers/retailers and reduce food waste
Action: support local food markets and local farm shops, and buy local produce whenever possible in the Community Network Area
Action: produce "Good Food Guide" to local producers and retailers
Action: support the work of the DCFA (Devon and Cornwall Food Association) – http://devonandcornwallfoodassociation.org and other food waste reduction initiatives:- for example: the local Falmouth/Penryn foodbank - http://www.falmouthchurchestogether.org.uk/community/foodbank.html
Action: encourage local retailers and food producers to divert surplus edible food away from landfill towards those in need... to include in-date edible food left by occupants of holiday lettings
- Reduction in all packaging across the Community Network Area
-
Higher Re-Use and Recycling Targets
Re-Use Projects
- Promote existing Furniture Re-Use Projects run by charitable/community enterprises e.g. Furnish @ Penryn (Cornwall Hospice Care); British Heart Foundation Furniture and Electrical Store in Falmouth...
- Explore feasibility of Furniture and Electrical Appliance Repair Centre for the Network Area (similar to Resource at Bodmin)
- Explore other Re-use and Repair and Exchange initiatives
e.g. refurbishment of unwanted hand tools (Tools for Self-Reliance or similar schemes)
Action: support and develop local TFSR initiative – see http://www.tfsr.org
Action: support and promote Freecycle and Freegle – http://www.freecycle.org and/or http://www.ilovefreegle.org … for local group for Falmouth/Penryn area see http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Falmouth-Freegle/info - Maximize use of Household Waste Recycling Centre - Carveth Farm, Mabe nr.Longdowns
Action: widely advertise the services of this centre within each town and parish in the Community Network Area – see http://www.sitacornwall.co.uk – for materials currently accepted - Create additional smaller drop-off points for certain recyclables and maximize use of existing "bring banks" (collection points at supermarkets and car-parks)
Action: new small electrical goods collection points in Falmouth and Penryn
Action: lobby for drinks carton recycling banks (and/or kerbside collection – see below) to serve the Network Area
Examples include:-Devon County Council – http://www.devon.gov.uk/recycling and go to “Recycling Centres”
Shropshire Council – http://new.shropshire.gov.uk/recycling-and-rubbish and go to “Recycling Centres”
(although drinks cartons represent only a very small percentage of the waste stream there is a strong argument that their recycling encourages more residents to do the “right” thing and recycle more)
Action: organize collection points for plastic milk bottle tops at convenient locations
Action: set up more low energy light-bulb recycling collection points
Action: more publicity for ALL drop-off points across Network Area (see also last page) - including post offices; one-stop shops; large and small stores for items like clothes hangers; print cartridges; unwanted spectacles and spent domestic batteries - Improve take-up of kerbside collection services (non-perishables) to at least 65% of households across the Community Network Area
Note: latest figures in 2013 show that only 23% of Falmouth and Penryn's household waste was collected for recycling from the kerbside)
Action: conduct intensive waste awareness campaign each town and parish across the Network Area (see also last page)
Action: lobby for expansion of kerbside services to include items not yet collected but which are elsewhere in UK where recycling rates are in excess of 50%...
Examples of good practice include :-
- Central Bedfordshire Council's kerbside scheme which includes drinks cartons and plastic food packaging: yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, food trays and plastic wrap – http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/environment/recycling-rubbish-and-waste/bin-and-bags-collections-recycling-rubbish-waste.aspx
- Dorset County Council : http://www.dorsetforyou.com/recycle-for-dorset and go to “Recycling Collection” which includes plastic trays, pots and tubs as well as drinks cartons
(Note: 89% of UK authorities recycle cartons either at the kerbside or at recycling collection points – see also http://www.ace-uk.co.uk for a full list of participating authorities and for information about the new recycling mill now open in the UK)
- Support community household battery recycling initiatives,
e.g. Cobra – http://www.batteryrecycling-uk.co.uk
Action: check coverage of battery collection tubes in the area and increase where necessary - Explore feasibility of recycling incentive schemes
Action: ask Cornwall Council to look at offering financial incentives to recycle (recycling loyalty points and voucher schemes – e.g. http://www.greenredeem.co.uk) - Seek to expand recycling services for local businesses and improve awareness
Action: explore feasibility of setting up a building materials reclamation centre for the Community Network Area - Seek to ensure that new domestic and commercial developments have access to adequate recycling facilities both on-site (kerbside) and in the local catchment area (collection points)
Action: check new planning applications for evidence of sufficient to meet needs of new residents
Action: lobby for more information from rented accommodation sector for tenants; from holiday homes agents and tourist parks for their customers... see also Coast at http://www.coastproject.co.uk
Action: ask Cornwall Council to consider sending out recycling timetable information with council tax notifications to residents and new occupants
(note: recycling targets for Devon County is 60% by 2015; for Dorset County 65-70% by 2016 and Wales 58% by 2015/16... what are the recycling targets for Cornwall and the Falmouth/Penryn Community Network Area?)
Green Garden and Food Waste
- Encourage more home composting in the Community Network area
Action: promote Cornwall Council's composting awareness scheme – see http://www.cornwall.getcomposting.com
Action: promote Love Food Hate Waste Campaign http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com - Increase recycling of green garden waste through kerbside collection and use of local HWRC (Household Waste Recycling Centre) at Carveth Farm, nr. Mabe/Longdowns
Action: promote the Cornwall Council's kerbside garden waste collection service in each town and parish and the recycling facility at Longdowns - Lobby for food waste kerbside collection service for both households and the commercial sector (hotels, restaurants, food processing companies, schools and colleges and hospitals) in the Community Network Area
Follow examples of:-
- Central Bedfordshire who collect food waste for a Biogen Biowaste Digester -
see http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/environment/recycling-rubbish-and-waste/bin-and-bags-collections-recycling-rubbish-waste.aspx and go to “food waste” - Dorset Waste Partnership – see http://www.dorsetforyou.com/dorset-waste-partnership
- Oxfordshire – see http://www.oxfordshirewaste.gov.uk and go to “food waste”
- Somerset Waste Partnership who have commissioned an AD plant to commence 2014 – see http://www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/about/ad
- Central Bedfordshire who collect food waste for a Biogen Biowaste Digester -
-
Development of Local Renewable Energy Projects using Farm and Food Waste
- Local combined heat and power biomass plant for the area (using farm waste, sawmill, woodland waste, and other waste wood products)
- Anaerobic digestion plant: another example is in Wales where Biogen is “working with local authorities on three AD projects which will recycle food waste collected from local households and from commercial customers to generate renewable electricity for the grid and a valuable bio-fertiliser for use on local farmland” - see http://www.biogen.co.uk/biogen-wales.asp
Action: work with partners to follow example of above authorities for introduction of AD technology to benefit the Network Area and beyond as appropriate
-
Promote local manufacture and sale of products made from recyclable material
Action: approach CUC Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) to research the making of a wider range of goods and packaging from recyclable or reusable materials e.g. crisps packets, toothpaste tubes... and work with local businesses to introduce wider range of recycled products for sale -
Waste Reduction Education and Practices in Schools and Colleges
Action: check local schools and colleges' commitment to waste reduction and recycling activities in context of climate change and resource conservation and help support their work -
Combined Universities in Cornwall – Falmouth and Exeter
Action: encourage both the University of Falmouth and Exeter University (Penryn Campus) to take a pro-active role in supporting sustainable living in our local communities and lead by example – particularly in the areas of waste reduction and recycling; renewable energy projects and local food sourcing
Action: forge links with the Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI), the Academy for Innovation and Research (AIR), Energy Policy Unit and the Falmouth/Penryn Students' Union FXU
Action: support and encourage the work of the ESI in their research projects and encourage holding waste reduction and renewable energy workshops for local communities -
Local Partnership Working to deliver Strategy and Action Plan
Action: set up Waste and Resources Action Group for the Community Network area.
Action: invite representatives of Town and Parish Councils; Cornwall Council; Combined Universities; Schools/Colleges; the business community and voluntary sector organisations groups – to be chaired by a local Cornwall Councillor
Action: set up "Recycling Champion" Scheme -
Cornwall Council to invite each town and parish to nominate a recycling "champion" to promote and advise on aspects of waste reduction locally
Key Action: launch intensive waste and recycling awareness campaign across network area
Action: produce local "Too Good to Waste" Guide to reduction, re-use, recycling and composting (based on the Edinburgh and Lothians publication – see http://www.changeworks.org.uk and go to “publications” ) - one for every household in each town and parish plus online version
Action: articles for local press and community newsletters ; promotional material for One Stop Shops, Post Offices and Libraries ; "Think Waste" events in towns and parishes and targeted door-stepping; involvement in local events
Action: analyse and implement findings of local Community and Parish Plans regarding waste; renewable energy; and local food production and explore ways of improving community and neighbourhood support to deliver these plans
Action: support relevant anti-litter campaigns
e.g. SAS Return to Offender scheme – http://www.sas.org.uk/campaign/return-to-offender/
and Keep Britain Tidy group initiatives – http://www.keepbritaintidy.org
and support Clean Cornwall Campaign – http://www.cleancornwall.org
and explore relevance of North Hill model (6 parishes) to the Network Area
Prepared by Transition Falmouth – https://transitionfalmouth.org.uk : engaging the community in designing a vibrant low energy and zero waste future for Falmouth, Penryn and the surrounding parishes to face the twin challenges posed by Peak Oil and Climate Change.
First produced April 2010, revised January 2014
Excellent TED talk video on reclaiming, recycling, and reselling all plastics here
Brilliant work Phil.
The main way to get high recycling levels is by separate collection of food waste. As the Council is not keen to do this, as it could reduce the feedstock for their proposed incinerator by up to 40%, I think we have to seriously look at how we do it ourselves locally. There are now some relatively cheap and small digestion technologies on the market. Given the high catering levels in the area, this could be a good project. I am happy to help give it a go, if others will join in.
Great piece of work, Phil, and others involved. Very comprehensive, and hope the Cornwall councillors give it the attention it deserves.