Waste & Environment Projects
Exploit all opportunities for involvement in or learning from other initiatives
The project provided the Waste and Environment practitioners with regular updates of national and regional developments and initiatives being deployed in this region and in other regions providing up to date knowledge of new technologies and new ways of working.
Events that are relevant to the interests of the practitioners were identified and attended by a nominee who then provided a synopsis to be disseminated to all providing a non-cashable efficiency saving.
This project was reviewed and cancelled following a decision by the Programme Board that the value in terms of personal development and receiving knowledge "first hand" attributed to participation in events was not being realised through this project and this was considered to be a dis-benefit of the project.
Benchmarking - developing a knowledge base of current activity, policy and strategy
The aim of this project was to develop and implement a standardised tool for collection, collation and analysis of data relating to waste management operations across the north east. This provided an accurate up to date profile which in turn supported and scoped other projects within the programme.
The data held was used for several purposes including sharing best practice, identifying new ways of working, harmonising contractual arrangements and assessing the potential for collaborative procurement of goods and services relating to waste management regionally.
The Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) has operated benchmarking networks in the past and recognised that the regional appetite for benchmarking could be built upon. The exit strategy for this project is that APSE have taken over the database and merged the "strategic" information from the RIEP database to improve arrangements and provide a platform for regional benchmarking.
Communications strategy
This project drew together the key common themes from the various communications and waste strategies already in place and in the process of development.
Working closely with Waste and Communications teams and linking to media groups within the region, the RIEP developed a coherent strategy to underpin the work taking place in the region and sub-regions, and, where appropriate, to allow for the development of joint promotion branding and communication for the North East.
Specific campaigns were carried out to tackle specific areas of concern including recycling of small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), promote Home Composting and reduce Food Waste.
Schools Against Waste
One of the "education" related projects in the programme, this initiative developed an e-learning package for 3 different key stages of schools based on the Enviroschools curriculum. This was developed in recognition of the fact that schools children can benefit from a good educational grounding in these issues and that their behaviour can, in turn, influence the behaviour of their families and friends. Many LAs were preparing their own materials for this purpose and the RIEP project sought to provide an efficient way of developing a "quality assured" product.
By accessing the content of the course through a "portal", it is possible to update and amend the material on the course at the click of a mouse. An additional module was developed that deals with reduction in energy consumption in recognition that the e-learning platform provides a smart route into schools and that the issue of energy consumption in schools is a significant issue.
Investigate potential for a recyclate processing facility in the NE region
A research study was undertaken to by the Institute of Local Governance (ILG) to identify current recyclate processing practices and challenge the arrangements to identify where additional resilience and improved financial deals could be provided through collaboration and by LAs working with the market rather through a range of disparate contracts that have been developed "in silos" over the last ten to fifteen years.
As well as the potential to provide opportunities for new business and employment in the region, this project will increase the resilience of the regional LA and FRS waste management activity so that future fluctuations in supply and demand for recyclates can be more easily managed.
Efficiency and Value For Money (also including Innovation Fund)
An allocation from the programme budget was made for projects that were not included in the initial list of projects but allowed for new ideas to be taken forward. The baselining projects and the learning from other initiatives assisted in identification of possible projects. This funding was used to look into a number of possible areas - some of which were pursued and others were not. The projects that were considered included:
- Current approaches to disposal of gulley arisings
- Comparing practices in relation to abandoned vehicles
- A possible 'Environmental Quality' project linked to a NE and Y&H RIEP initiative in conjunction with the Tidy Britain Group
- The Fleet Management efficiency KPIs/Benchmarking project
- School based recycling centres with AD, Solar and Wind generation of energy
Knowledge sharing and awareness changing activities targeted at practitioners
This project provided a range of activities aimed at knowledge sharing and the dissemination of good practice - drawing on the many examples of good practice and performance already within the region, as well as those identified as being of importance from other regions and from national initiatives.
2 major 'sustainability' conferences were held to highlight and debate issues such as cultural change, waste minimisation, recycling and carbon management. The project also facilitated and developed some other activities which included smaller scale workshops and learning exchanges, shadowing and mentoring, preparation and dissemination of benchmarking and case study information, and the research and co-ordination of web based information.
As this project overarched the whole waste and environment programme, it acted as a platform for sharing knowledge on other projects within the programme.
Route Optimisation Project
This project has been initiated to investigate the degree to which ICT based solutions to route optimisation for refuse collection and other street scene services is currently in use within the region, and the potential to which its use could be extended by using common systems that will provide scope and potential for future collaborative working over service design and delivery.
The objectives of the project are to identify opportunities for efficiency savings, rationalisation of assets and improved environmental performance in respect of refuse collection services provided by each Council in the region. The ability to change services to achieve efficiencies will be enhanced by improved 'scenario planning' providing additional enhanced services. Links to CRM and information gathering on take up of collection services will improve results and target communications more effectively.
Fleet KPIs
This project started with a pilot that examined the scope for savings in the use of vehicles by working with 3 volunteer councils. The initial pilot involved analysis of the usage of a small sample of the fleet which identified significant potential for savings and the consultants were therefore appointed to work with each of the LAs and FRSs in the region to embed these practices.
This project sought to train the fleet managers in the region in the use of the techniques and participating councils were given opportunities to network and compare results and develop common actions.
AD Feasibility Study
This study was carried out in conjunction with Renew-CPI as they had already commissioned studies into the potential for alternative practices for the disposal of food and organic waste but with an emphasis on commercial rather than municipal arisings.
The study provided an in-depth insight into the potential for AD using specific data from Hartlepool, Stockton and Middlesbrough Councils and concentrated on how the products of the AD plant could be used to generate revenue from providing Gas to the National Grid, fuelling a combined heat and power Scheme or providing fuel for refuse collection fleets.
The study proved that there is a viable business case and several LAs in the region have expressed an interest in taking this initiative to full business case level.
Gulley arisings and road sweepings
This project was initiated from a concern voiced by a number of LAs about the environmental viability of current operations and the fact that all LAs in the region currently snet the arisings from these operations to landfill.
The study provided an options appraisal of the available technologies and an evaluation of current costs and local opportunities to recover value. The findings indicated that there is not a single regional or sub-regional or individual LA based "right approach" - the rural nature of Northumberland and Durham, the availability of reed beds in the Tees Valley area and the urban nature of Tyne and Wear all provide opportunities for different solutions.
The study identified scope for savings of between £75k and £125k per LA per annum.