2021

RSC1223 - Mobility Scooter Access to Household Waste Recycling Centres – Reasonable Adjustments - 040621

This APSE member council is exploring policies for the use of mobility scooters in Household Waste Recycling Centres. How do other member councils deal with this issue to ensure fair access for people with disabilities alongside onsite safety issues? For example:-

• Do you arrange for early opening?
• An appointment system?
• A bell access button to allow a scooter user to enter the site accompanied?
• Have you ever had to refuse access on safety grounds/inability to adapt to circumstances at a site?
• Do you not have any specific policies in place and treat each access issue on a case by case basis?

If you are able to respond to the above and supply any copy policies or information as ever we would be most grateful and this would assist our member council.

---

RSC1222 – Methods of charging for garden waste collections – 010621

A member authority is interested to know how local authorities have implemented and made arrangements for charging households for garden waste collections (e.g. do they operate an online payment method, do they offer payment plans - where the overall payment is split over a number of months).

---

RSC1221- Chewing gum removal machinery - 010621

A member authority would like to hear from other authorities with regards to how they deal with the removal of chewing gum from pavements and what machinery they use?

---

RSC1220 - Abandoned Vehicle Contracts - 100621

A member authority is looking to retender its Abandoned Vehicle Contract, some local authorities tender for a wider whole Traffic Enforcement contract which covers Parking Offences as well as Abandoned Vehicles, they are conscious that there are numerous legislative strands that cover the distinct areas of these parts of whole service.

They would like to know anyone who is able or willing to share their contract document (obviously with any confidential elements such as prices removed) as they are keen to compare the variations in specifications across local authorities.

---

RSC1219 – Litter picking on Highways Verges – Risk Assessments and Certification – 270421          

This APSE member council is reviewing its Health and Safety Risk Assessment in respect of litter picking on Highway Verges in Scotland. They would be pleased to receive the following information from local authorities and in particular any member councils within Scotland (though other UK wide information would also be helpful).

1. Are you able to provide a copy of your risk assessment or health and safety methodologies with regard to the safety of operatives operating on litter picking duties on verges?
2. What level of training do you provide to litter picking operatives for working on verges?
3. Do you differentiate the training requirements for different types of verges/carriageways?
4. Do you include certified course requirements such as T1 training or general requirement for risk assessment / dynamic risk assessment training?

---

RSC1218 - Task and finish practices within waste collection services – 190421

A member authority is considering reviewing the practice of task and finish within its own waste collection operations and wishes to pose the following questions to other local authorities who have ceased the practice of “task and finish” within their waste collection operations:

1. What basic planning and implementation steps did you take to cease this practice and move to full day working?
2. How long did the whole process take to implement and how long has it now been in operation for?
   • How did you engage with staff throughout the process?
   • Was there significant pushback from the workforce, if so, how was this handled?
3. Did your Waste Collection service experience a performance dip at implementation?
4. Were additional, short term crews, established for implementation to support work being re-balanced?
5. Do all collection crews operate from one site or from multiple sites within your Council?
6. Does your Waste Collection service now operate with one, or with multiple, operational start and finish times?
7. What were the greatest learning experiences for you from the process and, with hindsight, would you do anything differently?

---

RSC1217 - Civic Amenity Sites (HWRCs) provision and performance – 130421

A local authority would like to hear from other member authorities regarding their Civic Amenity Site provision and performance, in particular:

1. How many civic amenity sites (HWRCs) do you have in your area?
2. Do you have information about the size of each of your sites?
3. How many households in your area?
4. What‘s the average tonnage going through all of your sites each year?
5. What’s the average recycling rate achieved across your sites?
6. Do you require residents to book before visiting any of your sites?
7. Do you allow vans to use your sites?

---

RSC1216 - Premiership/ Football clubs cleansing - 280521

A member authority would like to hear from authorities that have football clubs in their area, how do you do deal with pre and post-match cleansing? Who foots the bill? What do the clubs do if anything? Any indicative costs and resources used would be useful. If this is sensitive information, then a contact to discuss further would be appreciated.

---

RSC1215 - Review of Household Waste Recycling Centres – 090421

A member authority is looking to review Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) operations and would like to ask the following questions of all Local Authorities:

• Do any of your HWRCs open for 12 or more hours a day?
  • If ‘Yes’, could you please supply your opening times?
• Do you operate an access permit scheme for cars with trailers and commercial-type vehicles?
  • If ‘Yes’ do you require sight of the vehicles logbook as part of the application process?

---

RSC1213 - Use of cameras to reduce incidents of fly-tipping – 310321

An enquiring authority’s Members are keen to increase the number of CCTV cameras that they currently have available for deployment in fly tipping hot spots.

The enquiring authority is therefore keen to hear from other LA’s about their experiences with CCTV, in particular:

• How many cameras do you have
• Are the cameras all operational or do you also employ dummy cameras?
• How successful have they been and how many prosecutions have they had as a direct result of evidence from CCTV cameras?
• Have you found that using CCTV cameras has helped reduce fly tipping?

Any other relevant information would also be appreciated.

---

RSC1212 - Dealing with residents who have an unauthorised refuse bin – 290321

A member authority is interested to find out what colleagues do when they are faced with residents having unauthorised refuse bins (they might have been purchased from a DIY supplier, they were in place when they moved into a property or they acquired if bins were left on the pavement).

The inquiring authority is keen to minimise waste and maximise recycling and having residents with excess refuse capacity isn’t helping.

They are therefore interested to know if:

• Authorities do not empty the additional waste bin(s) – do they inform the customer before or after they do this or not inform the customer?
• Authorities remove the additional waste bin(s) and write to resident before/after the bin has been removed – concerned that by informing the customer before it is removed, then the additional bin will then be hidden.
• Authorities remove the additional waste bins and do not inform customer.

---

RSC1211 - Determining the average weight of a full co-mingled recycling 240 litre wheeled bin – 290321 

A member Council is interested to hear from other waste Collection Authorities, to determine the average weight of a 240L wheelie bin full of co-mingles recycling materials. (paper, card, plastics, glass, cans).

The data is to inform a piece of work on tackling contamination in the borough, and understanding average bin weights, to inform and identify potential problems with poor recyclers using their recycling bin as a second residual waste bin.

---

RSC1210 - DEFRA research study on sources of marine litter– 250321

APSE is working with DEFRA and the University of Plymouth to understand sources of land-based litter which then finds their way into the marine environment.

The research will be looking at the factors which cause the litter in the first instance with a view to preventing this problem from occurring and thereby avoiding the negative effects this has on the marine environment and the species living in it.

The work involves arranging interviews with officers responsible for preventing litter and to seek their views on how litter may be being created and whether this has the potential to enter marine environments.

The research is particularly interested in the types of litter which may not routinely be picked up as part of scheduled cleaning routes and therefore have the greatest opportunity to spread over time into watercourses, lakes and seas.

Initially, there are several questions they would like information on. These are:

• Can you estimate how frequently you encounter bags or bins which have been raided by animals?
  • Never
  • Occasionally
  • Sometimes
  • Often
  • Always
• Do you think that weather influences the dispersal of litter, and if so how?
• Do you think that the actions of householders contribute to litter spilling from bags/bins in your area, and if so what are these?
• What effect do you think one-off events, e.g. firework displays, street festivals, outdoor sporting events like a marathon have on litter which is not collected?
• Are there certain areas of your city/region where litter is most problematic, and if so, why do you think this is?
• Of all the things above (wildlife, weather, public behaviour etc.), which do you think has the biggest contribution to litter that won’t routinely be picked up and therefore escapes into the environment?
  • On a single occasion?
  • Over an annual period?

APSE would also be interested to hear from any officer who would be willing to be interviewed as part of the research, particularly those who have to deal with litter in rural environments, including in water courses which includes collecting data on the types of litter being dealt with and the likely sources of this litter.

---

RSC1209 - Litter bin removal procedures and policies - 230321

A member authority is currently embarking on a review of their public realm Litter Bin installation and removal procedures and is enquiring if any other local authorities have any existing processes/procedures in place that support Officers in the justification of the placing of new bins or their removal.

They currently have a bin installation procedure that works effectively, but they are more interested in the methodologies, decision matrices and processes to inform a final decision to remove a litter bin such as due to complaints e.g. vandalism, black side bag issues, lack of use etc.

---

RSC1208 - Adoption of Public Space Protection Orders – 230321 

• Have you adopted PSPO Y/N
• What consultation have you carried out?
• Have you had any success in levying fines Y/N
• Any other problems?
• Dogs not allowed in specific areas at all: play areas, Multi-use games areas, tennis courts
• Dog fouling
• Dogs not under control e.g. running / snarling at / biting people
• Dogs being used to vandalise trees, benches etc when being trained to fight
• Alcohol in all parks and open spaces
• Drugs in all parks and open spaces
• Cigarettes in play areas
• Camping in parks and open spaces
• Motorbikes, mini bikes, quadbikes (including e-powered) in parks and on Rights of Way
• Littering

---

RSC1207 - Ceasing of splitting bags of fly-tipped waste to search for evidence - 160421

A member authority’s enforcement team is no longer investigating fly tipping as operatives have been told not to split bags for evidence.

Street Cleansing crews continue to empty street bins (de-canting when necessary) and clear sites of fly tipping.

Have other authorities given out similar instructions re ceasing bag splitting for evidence, if so is this as a result of local decisions or national guidance?

The enquiring authority would lie to see any local policies or national guidance information or risk assessments you may have which caused bag splitting to cease.

---

RSC1206 - Weighbridge options at Household Waste Recycling sites 190321

A member authority is looking at options for potential installation of weighbridges at their 2 HWRC sites.

As the sites are quite compact they are enquiring whether any other authorities have explored and/or managed retrofitting of weighbridges and also whether anyone has looked into or adopted any mobile weighbridge solutions.

---

RSC1204 – Easing of restrictions and increasing capacity at Household recycling centres 150321

A member authority is interested in receiving any information from member authorities that have plans in place to relax restrictions and increase capacity at Household Waste Recycling Centres and that possibly align with the Government roadmap for easing Covid restrictions.

---

RSC1203 – Reducing extra vehicle numbers on refuse collection rounds 150321

A member authority is interested to hear from other waste Collection Authorities who are using extra vehicles on refuse collection rounds to reduce the number of people in the cab.

With the government roadmap for easing of restrictions, they would be interested to know if any other authorities are planning for the transition back to 3 people in a cab?

If so,

• What timeframe are you looking at to cease the use of additional vehicles?
• Do you plan to continue to use additional vehicles until a particular trigger – number of local cases, or number of people vaccinated etc?
• Do you intend to stagger the reduction of additional vehicles or just stop them all together?

---

RSC1202 – Introducing a chargeable garden waste service – 090321

A member authority is preparing to introduce chargeable garden waste service in their district and are looking for some more information from the councils that have already have such a scheme in place?

The enquiring authority would like to know how frequently the councils charge for garden waste?

• Do they use Direct Debit or invoicing system?
• How much do they charge?
• What systems do they use to control finance?
• Do they use Bartec trade module for chargeable garden waste collection?
• Is Bartec trade module fully effective for chargeable garden waste, what are its advantages and disadvantages?

---

RSC1201 – Pricing structures for commercial waste services 090321

An APSE member is looking to gather information regarding the pricing structures other local authorities for commercial waste services in other local authorities.

---

RSC1200 – Cleaning litter from rural roads - 090321

A member authority is trying to discover how do other Authorities deal with litter collection on rural roads.

In particular, what equipment/machinery do they use and how often do they carry out this operation?

---

RSC1198 – Toilet arrangements for refuse crews – 230221

A member authority is enquiring as to the provisions made for refuse crews to utilise if they need a “comfort break” whilst on a collection round if public toilet blocks are not available.

Do authorities supply any hospital type receptacle, or, if there is no provision, what advice or instructions do they give to their crews?”

Have any special measures been introduced where toilets have been closed due to COVID?

Where crews have female operatives have any special measures/considerations been made?

---

RSC1197 – Installation of surveillance cameras on waste and recycling vehicles – 190221

A member authority is exploring the possibility of installing surveillance cameras on its fleet of waste and recycling vehicles.

To assist them with their decision making, they would be grateful if you could answer the questions below:

• Do you have surveillance cameras installed and operational on your fleet of waste and recycling vehicles?
• What is the footage used for? For example, insurance claims, complaints or to record bin issues.
• How is the footage stored?
• How long do you store footage for?
• Is the footage automatically or manually deleted?
• Who is the supplier for your surveillance equipment and software.

---

RSC1196 No return policy for missed bins 190221

A member authority is seeking any guidance in relation to procedures adopted by other Councils regarding returning missed bins from household collections, residual or recycling.

The enquiring authority has a fairly high return rate of having to go back to empty what is perceived to be a missed bin.

They are therefore looking into adopting a no return policy.

They are therefore interested to receive information or copies for other authorities on ‘no return’ policies.

---

RSC1195 – Installing and promoting the use of recycling bins in parks – 120221

A member authority is seeking to install recycling bins in their Parks. 

They would be interested to hear from any authorities who may have any examples of good practice in terms of both designs of the units, and information for users, particularly for younger visitors regarding the information on why they should use the units. i.e. the benefit of recycling etc.

---

RSC1192 – Battery/WEEE collection service – 220121

A member authority is looking to start a doorstep battery collection and possible small wee service

They would like to know from other member authorities about the following issues:

• What are the pitfalls if any?
• Do you provide a bag/box?
• How often do you collect at the curbside?
• Where on the wagon do you store the items collected ?.
• What are the potential weights they should expect. ?
• Do you have any best practice examples you would be willing to share?

---

RSC1190 – Enforcement action for the incorrect presentation of bins for collection and contaminated recyclable waste – 180121

A member authority is looking for information regarding enforcement action to prevent contamination of recyclable waste or not presenting bins properly for collection.

1. Does any Authority carry out enforcement against residents who contaminate their bins with incorrect waste?
2. When a resident does not present a bin for the collection of waste on the dedicated collection day
3. What legislation do they use to carry out this enforcement
4. How successful has this been and what results have been achieved.
5. How many instances of Fixed Penalty Notices have they been issued
6. Have any prosecutions been presented at court and what were the results?
7. What was the common reason given for a resident who did not abide by the rules for the presentation of correct waste or the presentation of the correct bin?
8. How successful were the appeals that were sent in and what was the common reason for overturning any FPNs issued

---

RSC1189 - Waste and recycling services to schools – 060121

A member authority is  currently reviewing their recycling and waste provision to schools and is therefore interested in information regards other Local Authority offerings

With regards to a School Trade waste service, they would like to understand:-

• How many weeks does the contract operate for, is there a standard length contract in terms of weeks? (Eg term time only)
• Are schools offered a recycling and food collection service?  Are the fees the same as commercial contracts? Is it charged by weight or volume?
• How are schools incentivised schools to recycle, do they provide internal containers?
• Is the offering part of a package that includes talks, resources and dedicated support and  has much progress been made in converting this into online packages due to the COVID restrictions