A physical survey to find out what our waste and recycling is made up of will be carried out on the Island starting this month.
The waste will be sent in a collection vehicle for sampling at a location on the Island.
No personal data or information will be identified neither will the sampled bins be identified with individual properties.
Residents of the roads selected to take part will be receiving their letters regarding the survey next week. If they do not wish to be involved, they can let the waste service team know.
Week one starts 19 August 2024 and week two will start from 9 September 2024.
The waste composition survey involves collecting samples of general waste, recycling and food waste and sorting them into various types and quantities of materials. This will give the council a better understanding of what is in our waste.
This will help the council to improve waste and recycling information and campaigns for residents in the future. It will also help better manage waste generated on the Island.
The Island recycled 48 per cent of household waste in 2022/23.
Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, Cabinet lead for waste services, said: “Thank you in advance to all the residents of the roads which have been selected for this survey. During this week, they may see a different van collecting the waste or recycling from their property for this study.
“This study isn’t targeting specific people. We are reassuring residents taking part that all information collected will remain anonymous. Any waste surveyed will not be linked to any properties.”
Natasha Dix, service director for waste, environment and planning, said: “The survey will give us an idea of how people sort their waste, and, on average, what is generated. This means that if there are certain items that appear in waste that could be recycled, such as plastic or food waste, it’ll flag up the areas we need to focus on with our education campaigns.
“The last time the study was carried out in 2019/20, we found that 23 per cent of general household waste in black bins and reusable sacks was food waste. This could have been recycled in your food waste container at the kerbside – where it is sent for recycling into compost.”
The survey will be carried out in several areas across the Island to make up a representative sample of 100 households.
The first stage will be carried out during August 2024, when waste quantities are expected to be higher, due to the tourist season. The second stage will be carried out in September 2024, when waste quantities are expected to be lower.
The waste will be collected as normal on the usual scheduled day of the week, in the streets involved in the study. Residents do not need to do anything different to the normal arrangement for putting out waste and recycling for collection – i.e. placing receptacles out by 7am on the day of collection.
This survey will be carried out by Integrated Skills on behalf of the council, working in partnership with its waste service provider. Integrated Skills specialise in waste services and studies and have has conducted many similar surveys for other local authorities across the UK.
Collected waste will be kept secured throughout the analysis and once completed, the council’s waste service provider will dispose of the collected waste or recycling in the normal way.
Waste Composition Studies – questions and answers
- What is a “Waste Composition Analysis” study?
Waste Composition Analysis is a study that provides essential information about the weight and type of each component waste material that is in any given waste stream.
- Why do we do this?
Doing a two-season study allows the council and its waste partner to average out results and capture the seasonal waste habits of the Island population. An in-depth analysis of the inputs from dry recycling, general and food waste from residents enables the authority to see waste arising trends; (for example a decline in plastics perhaps). We use this data to formulate future communication campaigns, review commercial pricing on services and optimise the performance of the facilities at Forest Park.
- Why is it being done this year?
It is a contractual requirement to do the two-season study on every 5th contract year with the council’s waste service provider from service commencement. Results are issued on the completion of the 2nd season study.
- Communicating the commencement of the study.
In addition to this members’ briefing note, FAQs have been drafted and will be issued to the contact centre. Letters are sent two weeks in advance to streets that have been selected as representative of the total Island population, informing them of the studies to take place on the following dates:
- Week one starts 19 August 2024
- Week two will start from 09 September 2024
Media release and social media will be issued to the media and updated on the IOW.gov.uk news section. The waste section of the website will also be updated to reflect this before the commencement of the study.
Residents have the right to “opt out” which they can do by contacting the council. The waste service operator will then select alternative representative areas to be able to complete the study.
- How are the samples / Streets selected and collected?
A two-week schedule per season is drafted with primary and secondary streets, representing each demographic group on the Island. Two teams are sent ahead, in vehicles different to the normal collection crews, to collect and record the waste.
- How do you ensure residents’ anonymity?
Bulk bags will be used, with labels identifying things such as “sample 1, type of waste, street” – so house numbers / names are not linked back to the waste.
- Will this affect normal waste collections?
The authority and its waste partner are not asking the selected areas/streets to present any differently from a normal collection day. All waste must be presented as normal and no later than 7am on the day of collection. The study teams will be ahead of the collection crews to collect the study waste, which may mean an earlier collection than residents are used to – but this will still be after 7am.
- Where is the waste being sorted at?
All waste will be returned in the vans to Forest Park facility, to be tipped and sorted into the predetermined categories for the study.
- What happens with the rubbish at the end of the study?
Once the waste sampling has been conducted, it will be sorted and disposed of via the usual process using the onsite facilities of the Mechanical Treatment plant at Forest Park.
- Will the results be published?
As per the contract the authority’s waste partner is required to produce a report to the council on the findings. This report is open to scrutiny. A communications campaign will be produced to update residents on the findings.
Contact Information
Martin Neville
Isle of Wight
martin.neville@iow.gov.uk
