DRS ‘uncertainty’ sees Falkirk scrap plans to stop glass collections

In December 2022, the authority announced plans to halt its black box collections, which sees residents put out glass, small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and household batteries every fortnight (see letsrecycle.com story).

At the time, the DRS in Scotland was due for August 2023. Falkirk had extended its black box collection contract with FCC Environment, first signed in 2015 and due to end in August 2022, by one year to coincide with the introduction of the DRS.

The plan was then to stop black box collections as glass would be diverted to the DRS.

When the DRS was further delayed to be rolled out in line with the rest of the UK , the council in May 2023 extended the FCC contract up until March 2024. This has now been extended to September 2024 at a cost of  £940,000, a tender notice on 4 November shows.  The council previously spent £2 million in extending the deal.

Tender

In a meeting on 16 October, an approved council report said the extension to September 2024 will allow the council and any bidders to prepare for the new tender.

The report said:  “Due to the ongoing uncertainties surrounding a national DRS launch date, and with no known infrastructure at present regarding the required Regulations and Scheme Administration for a UK DRS scheme, it is now recommended that the council retains a black box collection service for glass only, and it is therefore no longer proposed to carry out a wide public consultation exercise on recycling point provision.

“For 1 October 2024 onwards, the council propose to issue a contract for seven years with the option for up to a further three years extension. The contract provides for a weekly collection of food waste, a fortnightly collection of a black box (glass only).

“To enable adequate time and provision for bidders to compile a response to the to-be-issued Council tender, it is proposed that the Council further extend its current black box (glass, textiles and small WEEE), food waste and AHP kerbside collection service contract until 30 September 2024.”

Due to the “low volume and quality” of presented textiles and the “low volume of small WEEE collected at the kerbside”, these materials would in future be collected via the network of local recycling points (textiles) or via the HWRCs for WEEE.