Agenda and minutes

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 3^rd September 2019.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 3^rd September 2019, be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

          No public questions were received during the meeting.

The Committee received a presentation by Bronwen Jameson, Marketing Communications Manager, Recycling Technologies Limited, regarding their current work in recycling plastics including:

·       The company’s head office and manufacturing facility at South Marston Industrial Park which produced machines for the UK and Europe and expansion plans for manufacturing in Swindon.

·       The company had developed and engineered machinery to recycle plastic waste that would otherwise go to landfill or incineration.

·       The history of plastic production and its various uses which had seen a steady increase in production since the 1950’s with only approximately 12% of plastics being recycled globally at the end of their life cycle.

·       The benefits of using plastic, especially in medicine, food production and reducing the carbon footprint through the transportation of goods.

·       Opportunities for the reduction of plastic packaging to assist in the reduction of unrecycled plastics.

·       The Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy launched on 18^th December 2018 which highlighted the circular economy and resource efficiency model.

·       The Government consultation on plastic waste in May 2019 asking industry to respond on four key areas; collection, deposit return schemes, a plastic tax and extended producer responsibility.

·       The Government’s aim to implement changes to the collections and deposit return scheme and extended producer responsibility (and liability for waste) in April 2023 and a plastic tax (on packaging) in April 2022.

·       This was intended to drive behavioural change and industry investment especially on the production of plastics with recyclable content and through this recycling infrastructure.

·       The UK plastics pact which was a voluntary agreement seeking 100% of recyclable packaging for food by 2025 and 70% effective recycling.

·       The local initiative between Recycling Technologies Limited and Tesco supermarket whereby Tesco’s had invited shoppers to return certain plastic packaging to the store for recycling. It was noted that 98% of returned materials had been suitable for recycling.

·       The type of packaging that could currently be recycled, including amongst others crisp packets and pet food pouches.

·       The need to give end of life plastics an economic value to encourage recycling and the infrastructure required to promote this reducing landfill.

·       The development of the process and machinery used in plastic recycling by Recycling Technologies over the previous eight years, from proof of concept in 2013 to providing technology to recycle the widest range of materials and the commercialisation of this technology.

·       The support of Swindon Borough Council and Public Power Solutions in the operation of Recycling Technologies Beta Plant at Waterside.

·       The forthcoming commissioning of the new generation 3 beta plant which will process the Tesco trial plastic materials.

·       The creation of the company’s first plant in Scotland in 2020 powered by green energy.

·       The continuation of work with a number of universities to further develop the recycling process.

·       Funding through grants (LEP) and crowd funding to enable the company to continue its development work and manufacturing.

·       The technical process for turning plastic into oil for reuse in plastic production with each plant being able to recycle 7,000 tonnes of prepared plastic each year  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

The Committee considered a report by the Chief Legal Officer setting out the Committee’s proposed Work Programme for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

Resolved – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That it be noted that the Armed Forces Covenant will be taken directly to Council for adoption.