The New East London Joint Waste Plan-Have Your Say On Havering’s Rubbish.

Local democracy reporter Sebastian Mann today writes:

Councils have unveiled a new plan for how waste will be more efficiently collected across east London.

The East London Joint Waste Plan (ELJWP) will determine how rubbish is collected across Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Redbridge until 2041.

The last plan was published in 2012 and is now out of date, Havering Council says.

The aim is to set up a ‘circular economy’ in which products are consumed, recycled and reused – instead of being disposed of.

That will lead to a “significant reduction” in the amount of waste being produced, the councils say, and an “increased emphasis” on “repair, refurbishment and reuse”.

Sustainable waste management in east London will “contribute to the area’s regeneration, positioning it as a key part of London’s industrial engine and a thriving economic centre,” the team wrote in a report published last week.

The ELJWP, once adopted, will help councillors ensure tips are “well designed to minimise environmental impacts” and avoid disruption for locals. Existing waste sites, including those that see waste diverted from landfills where possible, will be protected.

Housing and property developers will also be told to more closely consider the management of waste during demolition and construction of buildings.

“This plan is key to reducing waste, boosting recycling, and ensuring waste is managed responsibly across east London,” said John Whitworth, Newham Council’s cabinet member for air quality and climate emergency.

However, the plan can’t be used to set the frequency of bin collections or appoint independent waste collectors to certain sites. They will be determined on a local level.

The scheme does not involve the creation of new tips anywhere in east London. There is “sufficient capacity” in the area, the team says.

Sending rubbish to a landfill will be a “last resort,” it says, occurring only in “exceptional circumstances”.

It does include provisions, however, for the redevelopment of waste sites in the future. Tips such as those in Romford and Ilford have been tentatively earmarked for future housing or commercial projects if they are deemed surplus.

Starting this week, the four borough councils will hold public consultations on the drafted plans. The consultation period will last until 30th June.

The scheme has been unveiled amid the development of a new incinerator situated in Enfield, in north London.

Non-recyclable rubbish will be collected from residents in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest, and burned. Officials insist the “world-class” technology will not be harmful, but the project has been met with heavy resistance from campaigners.

Heat generated by the new incinerator is expected to power 127,000 homes, an increase of 55,000 on the existing ‘energy from waste’ facility, and heat a further 60,000.

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