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SME Collections
Overall Aim
The Scottish Executive and SEPA will work with all relevant bodies to improve recycling services for SMEs and the wider business community.
The responses to the consultation confirmed that in relation to recycling SMEs are often restricted by the amount of time, space, resource and facilities available to them. The Federation of Small Business' Membership Survey on Waste Disposal suggested that the main barrier to recycling is lack of facilities although 43% of respondents actively recycled at least part of their waste stream. Of those businesses who did recycle: local authorities provided a service to just under half (44%) of businesses; one third (33%) took their waste directly to recycling facilities themselves; and 23% used a private waste management firm.
Recycling services to SMEs may be provided by the private sector, the community sector or local authorities, or by a combination of these sectors. Clearly, recycling has to be paid for, regardless of who provides the service. When local authorities collect (and dispose of) trade waste, local authorities should recover their costs.
The current range of support from local authorities is variable. While some authorities recycle little or none of their commercial waste, others provide a comprehensive recycling service for those wishing to participate. Figures from 2004 show recycling rates for commercial waste vary from 0-53%. There may well be scope for local authorities to recycle more of the commercial waste they currently collect.
There may also be scope for local authority trade waste advisers to signpost businesses to relevant services, even if these services are provided by the private sector or the community sector rather than local authorities themselves.
Recently the Executive has provided resources to the WRAP pilots on the best ways of collecting waste from SMEs. These trials are being evaluated and best practice models will be developed.
The Executive has also funded SWAG to develop and maintain a Business Recycling Directory as part of the wider Waste Aware Business initiative ( http://www.wasteawarebusiness.com/). Businesses can search the Directory for reuse and recycling services by location and material to find out what is available to them in their local area. A range of service providers are included such as local authorities, the private waste management sector and community sector organisations. Information regarding local authorities that allow businesses to access their recycling centres is also available via the Business Recycling Directory.
Business access to recycling centres varies depending on local authorities. The amount of space, opening hours and facilities to allow charging can all impact on whether such services are available to businesses. SWAG will use the information from Waste Aware Business to map the services and sites that are available to businesses. SEPA will also consider, by the end of 2007/08, whether any licensing issues can restrict business access to recycling centres.
In areas where businesses are located in close proximity, or in rural areas where businesses may be clustered in small industrial estates, there is an opportunity to encourage the bulking up of waste or sharing of facilities. Bulking up waste can help make recycling more economically viable and save businesses valuable space. There have been several initiatives looking at the potential for businesses to share waste collection facilities. It is important to establish whether such schemes are viable and how they can operate successfully. SEPA will review work in this area, including any requirement to update the Duty of Care Code of Practice, by end 2007/08.
What is currently happening:
3.1 WRAP is running trials of collections from SMEs which will be used to identify how services can best be promoted and operated.
3.2 Waste Aware Business promotes existing collection services through: http://www.wasteawarebusiness.com/.
3.3 SWAG has produced a business waste recycling exemplar campaign outlining the planning and communications messages required to develop a business waste recycling campaign: http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk/pdf/bestPractice/business%20waste.pdf.
What will happen:
3.4 SWAG will identify any gaps in collection services to determine where businesses do not have access to a recycling service. This work will be completed by December 2007.
3.5 SEPA will commission research into local authority trade waste practices including collection systems; mapping business access to recycling centres; the reasons for different approaches; potential impact on the Landfill Allowance Scheme; the scale and approach to fly-tipping. This research will be completed by March 2008.
3.6 SEPA will analyse previous trials that have looked at businesses sharing facilities/ bulking up waste, and identify whether issues could be addressed by reviewing the Duty of Care: Code of Practice by March 2008.
3.7 The Executive and SEPA will have discussions with Cosla to identify the appropriate levels of support for trade waste officers by August 2007.
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