Food Waste Collection Details

MP enquiry into Food Waste Collections – 13 January 2025

Brighton Pavilion's Member of Parliament Siân Berry asked the questions (in black) and received the following answers (in navy) from Satti Sidhu the Acting Head of Strategy and Service Improvement | Environmental Services, Hollingdean Depot.

On arrangements at the Hollingdean WTS questions being raised by my constituents include:

will a planning application need to be made in relation to any physical arrangements at the WTS to accommodate food waste collections - if so - when will a planning application be submitted?

We do not require a planning application or permission for separate food waste. Food waste is already included on the environmental permit for the site under ‘European Waste Code 20 01 08 Biodegradable Kitchen & Canteen Waste - Non-Hazardous’ including if this is separately collected. Food waste is already taken into the station, albeit in black bags as part of the residual stream. The site will also continue to work within its existing planning permissions.

residents have raised questions about the logic of asking people to separate food waste into separate caddies, only for it to them be sent to a mixed use WTS where there is the potential for contamination. There are space constraints at the Hollingdean WTS, what assessment has been made, or will be made, about the risks of contamination at this site, and will assessments and scoping work be made publicly available to residents in the nearby area?

Food waste requires separation in order for it to be composted and needs to be separately collected at the kerbside. The waste transfer station deals with different waste streams which are managed in different areas. The food waste will be tipped into a sealed container, solely used for food waste and will not be mixed with other waste in the WTS. Transferring directly into a sealed container rather than tipping onto the floor first is a much more preferable solution as this is a tidier, cleaner solution, which minimises odour.

Is BHCC aware of other local authorities who collect food waste already who take their food waste collections to a WTS first, and if BHCC is discussing logistics of reducing contamination risks with them?

We have conducted research with a number of other local authorities who have arrangements in place according to their local capabilities. Some authorities use bays for food in transfer stations and some use sealed containers. The food waste collected from Brighton and Hove residents is to be tipped into a sealed food waste container located in the WTS. Contamination is more likely to arise at the kerbside rather than at any point during the transfer but we will support any future roll out with clear communications to help residents present their food waste correctly for recycling.

How many vehicle movements a day is BHCC anticipating there will be in and out of the Hollingdean WTS? Is there, or will there be, a transport plan or data confirming this? If so, when will this be available and in the public domain (if the information is not yet known)?

We are developing the plans as part of the implementation and do not have the information prepared at this time. Once we have further developed the plans a report with details will be taken to a cabinet meeting in the Spring.

Is BHCC intending to use the same collection vehicles to take waste from the Hollingdean WTS to the vessel composting facility in Uckfield? If so, what assessment has been made of any additional staff / additional journeys needed to collect waste and take it to Hollingdean, to unload it at Hollingdean into the sealed containers, and then reload for onward transportation to Lewes?

The food waste, once transferred at Hollingdean WTS, will be taken directly to the composting site at the Woodlands In Vessel Composting Facility. Whilst plans are still being developed it is likely that the food waste will be consolidated in the sealed containers then taken to Woodlands by Veolia HGVs as Veolia take care of our waste and recycling once we have delivered it to them.

What is the maximum length of time BHCC anticipates between food waste arriving at the Hollingdean WTS and it leaving?

This is not yet known as we are developing the detailed plans based on the projected yields anticipated. Separate food waste should not be held for any greater length of time than black bag waste is currently.

is there a particular make or model of container that will be used for food waste at the Hollingdean WTS?

We are liaising with other local authorities and talking to our contractor to identify the best solution. Veolia have experience of operating successful food waste transfers via their other contracts. The container will be sealed due to the type of waste but a model or exact type has not yet been finalised.

In a response to a written question at the last Full Council meeting, it was communicated that the food waste collections would be rolled out in stages, what are these stages, what will happen at each stage, and what are the target dates for each stage being implemented?

We are preparing implementation plans for the service to be introduced in phases. The mapping exercise to define new rounds is being completed and once we have finalised this, we will be able to define collection days of the rounds which will in part, be used to determine to roll out dates for the phases.

Broader questions on arrangements:

when will the detailed plans be available for residents to scrutinise?

We are taking a report to cabinet in April which will include more detail on the new service and its introduction.

when it comes to decisions about the siting of communal food waste bins, will residents and businesses be consulted before decisions are made, and when will any consultation on this aspect of the plans take place?

There is limited space available for the communal sites and we are preparing to ensure the food waste bin housings sit with the other communal containers for residents to easily dispose of all their waste. Businesses will be required to arrange for food waste collections from 1 April 2025 and will not be accessing the containers intended for residents.

can a breakdown of costings be provided - eg how much of the money received from the central government grant will be spent on food waste caddies, new collection vehicles, alterations at the depot etc?

We have only received the capital funding from Defra which is £2.4m and eagerly anticipate an announcement on further funding to support our planning for other elements of the service. The report to cabinet in April will provide further detail on the funding and spend on the service, which we are still developing and refining.

if BHCC is just looking to buy larger vehicles to minimise the tipping required, what assessment has been made of the need for additional smaller vehicles to be available for collections in streets where access issues can be problematic. I am aware that in some streets in the city, eg Hanover and Elm Grove, a reason often given for missed collections has been the narrowness of the streets, and other factors, such as poorly parked vehicles causing access issue?

We have developed a detailed options appraisal on the vehicle options which consider narrow street, the operations, the operator’s licence limitations and a number of other factors to reach a decision on the type of vehicles to be used as part of the new service.

what model of collection vehicles is BHCC considering?

We are considering all available food vehicle models in detail, against factors such as cost, quality, size, operator’s licence and a number of other elements.

Will food waste collections from communal food waste bins take place 7 days a week?

Our current projected yields and initial assessment of frequency of collection to ensure the most efficient model, will not require a 7 day a week collection. The amount of this waste generated will be far less than for example refuse.

Looking ahead:

what conversations is BHCC having with neighbouring local authorities about operational matters in the event that the devolution plans move ahead, and if there were to be any boundary changes to local authority areas. For example, is it at all possible that if BHCC were to form a new larger local authority area, eg including Worthing and Shoreham, or another area like Lewes, the Hollingdean WTS role could be expanded to accommodate greater use. I would like to be clear on the limitations of the site, given its physical constraints and proximity to residential housing.

As no firm proposals for Local Government Reorganisation have yet emerged, we have not been asked to plan for this.

This page was last updated by Ted on 25-Jan-2025