WHAT IS IN OUR WASTE?
A physical survey to find out what our waste is made up of will be carried out on the Island starting this week. Week one starts 19 August and week two will start from 9 September 2019 for the Summer Season.
The waste composition survey involves collecting samples of general waste, recycling and food waste and sorting them into the various types and quantities of materials, in order to gain a better understanding of how much of the household waste could have been recycled; how much of it could be used to generate energy when the new energy from waste plant is operating at Forest Park, Newport and how much needs to be sent to landfill.
This will help the council to improve waste and recycling education campaigns for residents in the future and to help the Island to better manage waste generated on the Island.
The Island recycled 53.4 percent of household waste in 2017/18.
Councillor Steve Hastings, Cabinet member for waste services, said: “I’m thanking residents of the roads which have been selected, for their help with 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, and we assure residents taking part that all information collected will remain anonymous and any waste surveyed will not be linked to any properties.”
Natasha Dix, head of waste services, said: “The survey will give us a ‘snap shot’ 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, it’ll flag up the areas we need to concentrate our education campaigns on.
“For example, many people believe that food leftovers decompose naturally once sent to landfill so place this out as waste. The reality is food waste sent to landfill rots and releases methane, a damaging greenhouse gas. Recycling it in your food waste containers every week, however, means that we can send this to be composted instead.”
The survey will be carried out in several areas across the Island, in two seasons, to make up a representative sample. The first stage that is soon to start will be carried out during August 2019 when waste quantities are expected to be higher, due to the tourist season. The second stage carried out in February 2020 when waste quantities are expected to be low.
The waste will be collected as normal on the scheduled day of the week and will be sent in a collection vehicle for sampling at a location on the Island. Residents do not need to do anything different to the normal arrangement for putting out waste and recycling for collection.
Residents of the roads selected to take part will be receiving their letters regarding the survey from this week. If they do not wish to be involved, they can let the waste service team know by emailingwaste.contract@iow.gov.uk or call (01893) 823777.
This survey will be carried out by Waste Research on behalf of the council working in partnership with Amey. Waste Research are a company specialising in waste services and studies and have has conducted many similar surveys for other local authorities.
No personal data or information will be identified neither will the sampled bins be identified with individual properties. Collected waste will be kept secured throughout the analysis and once completed, Amey will dispose of the collected waste in the normal way.
