Agenda item

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) is holding its annual, national conference in June in London again this year.

1.2       In light of the Council’s ongoing work implementing the Waste Framework, developing its approach to the Circular Economy (Resourceful Belfast), the present national consultations on packaging waste, the Blue Planet effect, changes to the international marketplace for the sale of recyclables, Members are asked to approve the attendance Members at this event. It is noted that senior officers will also attend.

1.3       Members’ attention is also brought to the three consultations currently underway and approval is sought to agree a response in principle subject to the Chair being satisfied with the Council’s final submission.

2.0       Recommendations

            The Committee is requested to approve:

·           The Chair and Deputy Chair (or their nominees) to attend this event

·           Members’ approval is also sought to agree a response in principle subject to the Chair being satisfied with the Council’s submission, the response will be tabled for information at the June 2019 meeting.

3.0       Main report

            Key Issues

3.1       Members may recall that each year the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management holds an annual conference in London in June, called ‘Resourcing the Future’ (RTF 2019).

3.2       This year, the conference is being held on 12-13 June 2019, as with previous years, the partners hosting this event include the CIWM, the Waste& Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Environmental Services Association and the Resources Association.

3.3      This conference brings together waste and resource management professionals, thought leaders, Government ministers and policy experts.  This year, there will be debate and consideration about the key recommendations arising from the Resources and Waste Strategy for England, launched in December. 

3.4       The conference will be packed full of discussion points and, centering on the new strategy, its recommendations and implementation.  Experts will also consider the Circular Economy, single-use plastics (SUP) bans and taxes, secondary material markets, recycling targets and food waste. It is also likely to consider implications and impacts which could arise from the recently produced consultations on Reforming the UK Packaging Responsibility Scheme, Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and a Plastic Packaging Tax which are likely to profoundly affect waste management practices in the UK in the coming years^[1]

3.5       In relation to these consultations, a conference was held in Belfast Metropolitan College, Titanic Quarter on 12 March to introduce these topics and highlight that responses are due on Citizens Space by 13 May 2019.  At over 300 pages and around 100 questions, these are detailed and technical and require some time to consider and address, with answers from one having a bearing upon another.  In terms of the Council working with Arc21 and other professional organisations to submit a response, Members’ are asked to approve a technical response in principle subject to the Chair being satisfied with the Council’s final submission.

3.6       Financial & Resource Implications

            As the Council is a CIWM affiliated organisation, the rate for attending the two-day conference is £449 + VAT per person.

            The travel and subsistence costs associated with this conference are likely to be in the region of £500 per person, which can be met from the Service’s revenue budget.

3.7       Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no relevant equality, good relations or rural need assessment issues associated with this report.”

^[1] The fourth live consultation on Consistency in Household and Business Recycling Collections only applies to England

            The Committee:

·        authorised the attendance of the incoming Chairperson and the incoming Deputy Chairperson (or their nominees), to attend the Charted Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) National Conference, in London from 12th – 13th June; and

·        agreed that, given that there would be no further meetings of the Committee in advance of the Local Government Elections, a technical response in respect of the three consultations in relation to Packaging Waste would be prepared by officers and submitted by the 13th May deadline.  The response would subsequently be submitted to the June 2019 meeting of the Committee for information.