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Areas for action - Waste, recycling and the circular economy

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Ensuring we reduce, reuse and recycle our waste has been important for many years. This concept has now grown into a wider one, known as the circular economy – making as much use as possible out of the resources we have through both smart choices and innovative methods of reducing waste, reusing products and recycling.

The importance of issues, such as tackling single-use plastics and reducing palm oil use, has increased in recent years. We want to hear from residents to understand how the Council can best support a transition to a more circular economy. Making the best use of our resources will help to reduce pollution, reduce costs for waste processing, and protect nature.

More information on this area for action can be found in the Plan in the section titled Waste, Recycling and the Circular Economy.

Proposed outcomes for the borough if we manage to reduce emissions by recycling more waste by 2030.

Please note, these are borough-wide outcomes, and as well as requiring action from the Council, they will also depend on the action of a wide range of people and organisations, including residents.

O35: Use and produce renewable energy through the management of waste related resources, including utilising our landfill sites, depots and fleet. This could be through on-site renewables (e.g. solar energy).

O36: Ensure that carbon avoidance, reduction and capture schemes are in place to minimise the impact of waste treatment on emissions, and support the development of local alternative waste treatment technologies where possible by 2028, in order to reduce carbon emissions.

O37: Increase the social value commitments through our waste contractors and partners to support community and charitable organisations involved in re-use, repair and upcycling projects to keep items in circulation for as long as possible.

O38:Increase the amount of food waste taken for recycling (this would utilise anaerobic digestion, a technology that breaks down food waste) by at least 20% by 2030, through a comprehensive long-term behaviour change plan, including offering food waste recycling to schools and all remaining Cheshire West and Chester homes.

O39: More information and guidance is provided to encourage home composting for garden waste through communicating the benefits of loose compost heaps to local wildlife.

O40: Unauthorised waste is prevented from entering the Council’s household waste sites and proactive enforcement and engagement to reduce waste crime is carried out.

O41: The Council will provide more information on our website to tell people where the recycling goes, help people understand the importance of separating their waste and signpost people to alternative community based recycling and re-use projects.

To achieve these outcomes for recycling more waste, the Council proposes to take the following action.

A45: Reduce the use of avoidable Single Use Plastics across the Council and delivery partners (including events held on Council land and premises) and proactively support the production of more environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic products within communities, partners, businesses and local industry.

A46: Reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste produced per household to 405kg/household/year by 2027/28 through waste prevention projects and encouragement of pro-recycling behaviours amongst residents. This will include a review of the frequency of waste collections and container capacity.

A47: increase the percentage of municipal waste recycled to at least 64% (currently 59.1%) by end of 2027/28.

Ensuring we reduce, reuse and recycle our waste has been important for many years. This concept has now grown into a wider one, known as the circular economy – making as much use as possible out of the resources we have through both smart choices and innovative methods of reducing waste, reusing products and recycling.

The importance of issues, such as tackling single-use plastics and reducing palm oil use, has increased in recent years. We want to hear from residents to understand how the Council can best support a transition to a more circular economy. Making the best use of our resources will help to reduce pollution, reduce costs for waste processing, and protect nature.

More information on this area for action can be found in the Plan in the section titled Waste, Recycling and the Circular Economy.

Proposed outcomes for the borough if we manage to reduce emissions by recycling more waste by 2030.

Please note, these are borough-wide outcomes, and as well as requiring action from the Council, they will also depend on the action of a wide range of people and organisations, including residents.

O35: Use and produce renewable energy through the management of waste related resources, including utilising our landfill sites, depots and fleet. This could be through on-site renewables (e.g. solar energy).

O36: Ensure that carbon avoidance, reduction and capture schemes are in place to minimise the impact of waste treatment on emissions, and support the development of local alternative waste treatment technologies where possible by 2028, in order to reduce carbon emissions.

O37: Increase the social value commitments through our waste contractors and partners to support community and charitable organisations involved in re-use, repair and upcycling projects to keep items in circulation for as long as possible.

O38:Increase the amount of food waste taken for recycling (this would utilise anaerobic digestion, a technology that breaks down food waste) by at least 20% by 2030, through a comprehensive long-term behaviour change plan, including offering food waste recycling to schools and all remaining Cheshire West and Chester homes.

O39: More information and guidance is provided to encourage home composting for garden waste through communicating the benefits of loose compost heaps to local wildlife.

O40: Unauthorised waste is prevented from entering the Council’s household waste sites and proactive enforcement and engagement to reduce waste crime is carried out.

O41: The Council will provide more information on our website to tell people where the recycling goes, help people understand the importance of separating their waste and signpost people to alternative community based recycling and re-use projects.

To achieve these outcomes for recycling more waste, the Council proposes to take the following action.

A45: Reduce the use of avoidable Single Use Plastics across the Council and delivery partners (including events held on Council land and premises) and proactively support the production of more environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic products within communities, partners, businesses and local industry.

A46: Reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste produced per household to 405kg/household/year by 2027/28 through waste prevention projects and encouragement of pro-recycling behaviours amongst residents. This will include a review of the frequency of waste collections and container capacity.

A47: increase the percentage of municipal waste recycled to at least 64% (currently 59.1%) by end of 2027/28.