Agenda item

The report on recycling and waste collection arrangements in Bromsgrove Town Centre was presented. The Environmental Services Manager noted that the report had been drafted to address a request from the Overview and Scrutiny Board raised in February 2025 for a review of the implications of no longer recycling waste on Bromsgrove High Street.

The Environmental Services Manager highlighted that the Place Teams audit of the town centre recycling bins had shown poor levels of adherence to the use of each bin, with the contents of recycling bins showing that only one fifth of the entire waste collected in those bins was recyclable when sorting by hand was undertaken.

The difficulty in sorting recyclable material from these bins was exacerbated by the fact that many fast-food outlets provided food in card packaging and when people dispose of such waste, for example pizza boxes, in the recycling bins the high levels of grease on the packaging are tainting the whole bin. Items tainted with grease could not be recycled. Paper or card items contaminated with glass, whether dust particles or larger pieces also could not be recycled. The Council was not recycling any waste from Bromsgrove High Street bins at the moment because of the cross-contamination of waste.

Following the report, Members discussed how the investment in new recycling bins could address the problem of recycling rates and on Bromsgrove High Street. It was suggested that to address instead of using generic recycling bins separate receptacles for glass, metal, plastic, and general waste were needed, thereby separating waste at the point of disposal and, in combination with targeted signage and public awareness campaigns, optimise recycling within the Town Centre.

The Environmental Services Manager estimated that the cost of replacing the current bins on Bromsgrove High Street with the bins that have separate receptacles for glass could be circa £5,000. It was noted that to ensure effectiveness in increasing recycling rates, this investment would need to be combined with appropriate positioning of the bins within the Town Centre and continuing work on promoting correct recycling procedures

Use of smart bin technology could also be explored as smart bins tracked fill levels and allowed for optimisation of collection routes. It was noted that such bins were already in use, for example by Worcester City Council.

It was clarified that this report concerned recycling bins that were intended to be installed on the high street for public use only. All businesses had to follow regulations for commercial waste disposal and were not allowed to dispose of waste in public bins. A Member expressed a concern that commercial businesses could being depositing waste in public bins on Rubery High Street. The Officer agreed to contact Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) regarding this matter to identify if enforcement actions were necessary.

A question was raised about provision of bins in other high streets across the Districts, such as Alvechurch, Barnt Green, and Rubery. It was responded that this report concerned the provision of recycling bins within Bromsgrove Town Centre which was a priority but following this the Officers would do an assessment and compile a full list of recycling bins required across the district centres with the view to provide a joint budget bid for these bins. It was commented that procuring the bins in bulk across a number of district centres would provide economies of scale, subject to an available budget being identified and approved.

It was agreed by the Board that at this meeting, a recommendation be put forward to Cabinet asking that Officers proceed with preparing a budget bid with the view of investing in new (recycling) bins for installation in Bromsgrove Town Centre.

RECOMMENDED that the Officers proceed with preparing a budget bid to Cabinet to invest in new (recycling) bins for installation in Bromsgrove Town Centre.