The University of Edinburgh
SEAG – Operations Group
Wednesday 30 January 2013
Meeting our Waste Legislative Requirements
Brief description of the paper
Recent changes to waste legislation in Europe and Scotland have created a need for the University to alter its approach to Waste Management to ensure that recyclable materials are separated out from non-recyclable materials across the estate. Research (both that commissioned by Estates and available externally) has been used to plan the changes required and summaries are provided.
In summary, shared recycling points will be rolled out to all areas by the end of August 2013 (ahead of the legal deadline of 31 December 2013). The paper outlines the types and look of bins that will be used and the operational changes and communication that will accompany this roll out.
Action requested
The Group is invited to note the planned changes and to endorse the wording (below) of the all staff communication.
The University's commitment to promoting best practice within Waste & Recycling has helped us to achieve a 78% recycling rate. Recent changes in European and Scottish legislation mean that we must now provide full recycling across the estate and further improve the quality of our recycling streams. Accordingly, all staff and students across the estate will be given access to shared recycling points during 2013.
In order to make this operationally viable, individual office bins will no longer be serviced by Cleaning Services once shared bins have been rolled out within a building. Please support us in this initiative and help us to reach this target ahead of the legal deadline of 31 December 2013.
Resource implications
Does the paper have resource implications? Yes but these have been noted in a previous paper to this committee
Risk Assessment
Does the paper include a risk analysis? No
Equality and Diversity
Does the paper have equality and diversity implications? No
Freedom of information
Can this paper be included in open business? Yes
Paper to be presented by
Fleur Ruckley, Waste & Environment Manager
Originator of the paper
Fleur Ruckley, Waste & Environment Manager
22 January 2013
Meeting our Waste Legislative Requirements
1. Overview and our responsibilities
a. Legislative overview
According to Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA 1990) (as amended) , waste must be managed correctly by storing it properly, only transferring it to the appropriate persons and ensuring that when it is transferred it is sufficiently well described to enable its safe recovery or disposal without harming the environment.
The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 amended Section 34 of EPA 1990 (as amended) to implement a number of actions in the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Plan. Under these amendments, holders of waste, including producers, have a duty to take reasonable steps to increase the quantity and quality of recyclable materials.
The European Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) came into force at the end of 2010 with the intention of turning EU member states into “recycling societies”. The Directive aims to shift the focus away from waste being an unwanted burden towards being a valued resource, which can provide opportunities for sustainable growth in a low carbon economy. This is summarised in the five step waste hierarchy.
The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2011 and the Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011 place a duty on all persons who produce, keep or manage waste to take all reasonable steps to apply the waste hierarchy.
b. Scotland’s Zero Waste Vision
According to Natural Scotland (Duty of Care – A Code of Practice, 2012), average commodity prices are higher today than at any time in the past century. With an increasing global population further increasing the demand for limited resources, the expectation is that this trend will continue. For some materials such as copper, indium, and rare earth elements, severe supply chain risks are already emerging.
A zero waste society is one where goods and materials are continually cycled to support the sustainable growth of the Scottish economy, and waste is progressively designed out.
The less a product has to be changed and the faster it returns to use, the higher the potential savings on the shares of material, labour, energy, and capital embedded in the product and on the associated mix of environmental impacts.
c. Our responsibilities
Our legal responsibilities are outlined in the form of key requirements and bans which come into force over the coming years.
1. To apply the waste hierarchy to the management of our waste and promote ‘high quality’ recycling.
2. From 01 January 2014, to present glass, metal, plastic, paper and card (including cardboard) for separate collection*.
3. In areas where we are considered to have a food business**, to present that food waste for separate collection from 1 January 2014 (where over 50kg is produced per week) or from 1 January 2016 (where over 5kg is produced per week).
4. From 1st January 2016, to ensure that food waste arising on our properties is not deposited in a public drain or sewer, or in a drain or sewer that connects to a public drain or sewer.
5. To ensure that we send no biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 1 January 2021.
*Estates and Buildings intend to use a derogation to this which allows us to have a Partially Co-Mingled collection. This approach is acceptable only where separation results in material which is of comparable quality to separately collected material and which goes forward for ‘high quality’ recycling.
**Food business is defined as “an undertaking, whether for profit or not, and whether public or private, carrying out any activity related to the processing, distribution, preparation or sale of food.” It relates specifically to commercial catering establishments.
2. The situation at present
a. Operational context
Currently, approximately a third of our academic and support estate and all of our accommodation estate have direct access to recycling points. In the majority of cases, this excludes under-desk bin provision completely.
Our two key Waste Management contractors both deliver a Dry Mixed Recycling collection of the kind which allows us to meet the requirements for a “partially co-mingled” derogation. For operational reasons, we keep glass as a separate stream and where appropriate we also have a separate paper & card stream.
Having trialled food and compostable waste collections in EUSA and Edinburgh First cafés and during the Fringe 2012 event, we know that can work and are beginning to understand the logistical and communication requirements of this kind of collection.
b. Research findings
Over the last six months we have commissioned a variety of research into various aspects of our waste and recycling provision with a view to improving the quality and quantity of recycling across the estate. As such, the findings of this research have been used to help shape the planned changes outlined below. Summaries of this research are available in the appendix.
3. Changes planned
a. Overview
- Full roll-out of shared bins
Staff and students across the estate will be provided with access to a choice for the disposal of their items of waste by 31st October 2013, ahead of the 31st December 2013 deadline. This will be in the form of shared recycling points comprising of either two or three bins. Once shared bins have been rolled out in an area, servicing of individual office bins (e.g. under desk) by Cleaning Services will cease.
- Three bin system - In areas of high paper production, a separate Paper & Card stream will be retained and will sit alongside our Mixed Recycling (Cans and Plastics) and General Waste streams.
- Two bin system - In key areas (e.g. where there is not a lot of paper waste or where space is tight), a combined bin for Dry Mixed Recycling comprising Plastics, Cans and Paper & Card will be provided alongside a bin for General Waste.
- Food (compostable) waste
Food waste will be separated out (front and back of house) in cafés and restaurants. Specially labelled bins will sit alongside the Recycling and General Waste bins in these areas and a food waste service will be provided. In areas where compostable packaging is used, this will be extended to include compostable food packaging waste.
- Clarifying the message
On-bin communication will become consistent. It is proposed that all new bins have the following style posters containing simple clear logos designed by WRAP and promoted in Scotland by Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS).
In addition, we are proposing to apply a consistent approach to communications above or adjacent to bins which will specify (in the form of photographs and simple categories) what type of waste arising locally goes into each bin.
b. Shared Recycling Bin Rollout
Research has shown us that as well as a consistent message and consistent streaming, it is necessary to narrow down our range of bin choices and define our choices according to the needs and use of different types of area. A summary of our proposals for this are outlined below.
- Building Entrances and Cafés
Funding from ZWS has been secured to roll out Recycling Points in public areas during February and March 2013. Glasdon Nexus 100 bins (shown below) have been specified for their ease of use and higher capacity – ideal for these locations.
Smarter, solid sided, closed lid bins are likely to be the best choices for key building foyers. The ones shown below are a revised version of those in use in the New Royal (Dick) Vet building and these are potential choices key entrance areas such as Old College, Weir Building and the Main Library.
- Meeting rooms
Trials in various meeting rooms have shown that this kind of space has specific bin and poster needs. Smaller capacity, solid-sided bins with tailored posters are likely to be the best option for these spaces.
- Offices and shared spaces
Funding from Corporate Services for continued roll out in offices and shared spaces – Apr - Oct 2013. The transparent sided, Boxcycle bin has been trialled across around one third of the estate and works well for this kind of space. The new specification will include WRAP icons on the front of the bin rather than on the lid.
- External spaces
Eventually, we will ensure that the same choices that are offered to our building users are also offered when staff, students and visitors are outside University buildings. Examples of a dual and of a single external bin (as used effectively in a number of locations across the University estate currently) are shown below.
4. Communication of change
a. Communication in advance of the change
A message explaining why and when this change is happening has been drafted and appended to the cover sheet of this paper. SEAG-Operations is asked to endorse this message and agree its subsequent communication to all staff and students.
A communication strategy is being drafted to explain how communication will be managed. It will require coordination of a variety of parties from within and outwith Corporate Services including Estates & Buildings, the Sustainability Office and Communication and Marketing. We will also have support from an outside agency employed by ZWS.
Communication will be via University Committees, Staff News and other forms of direct staff communications (e.g. SRS newsletter), direct communications with College and School management, presentations, pull up stands and leaflets.
b. Local communication
- In addition to the simple posters on every bin, posters to explain how to use the bins will be placed above or adjacent to the bins wherever space allows.
- Other forms of communication such as pull up banners, leaflets, on screen messages and roadshows will be utilised as appropriate as will alternative forms of communication of key messages.
Fleur Ruckley, Estates & Buildings
January 2013
Appendix - summary of research
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Food Waste Project 2012 funded by Zero Waste Scotland.
Project carried out by Emma Roy
Executive Summary
Zero Waste Scotland funded a placement through the Green Business Partnership at the University of Edinburgh which began in August 2012. Under new Waste (Scotland) Regulations passed by Parliament in 2012, all food waste must be recycled must be reduced to 5% by the end of 2015, with food preparation businesses that produce more than 50kg of food waste per week to present food waste for collection by end of 2013.
This placement aimed to establish a baseline data set of food waste and food packaging waste arisings and reductions. The data was collected from new recycle pods which segregated food/ compostable packaging, paper/card, mixed and landfill waste placed at the university’s students union (EUSA) food outlets at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe around Pleasance, Potterrow and Teviot venues. EUSA also bought in 100% compostable food packaging from a local Edinburgh based company, Vegware. These products were sold at all three venues and discarded alongside food in the compostables stream.
In order to establish a baseline, three stages of data collection took place, the first collection process included desk based activities which were the basis for background research and understanding of the processes involved in waste management. This included EU and Scottish waste directives and regulations and waste treatment processes. In the second stage full bin weights from the contractor were given to compare the back of house capture rate over the course of a year from the 2011 to 2012 Edinburgh Fringe.