Different waste charges investigated

Thursday 27 February 2020

The success of Guernsey's waste strategy in increasing recycling rates and reducing black bag waste could lead to a completely different charging model being needed in the years to come.

The new waste collection arrangements came into effect at the start of last year and have been successful in driving down black bag waste.

The current charging mechanism for the pay-as-you-throw model includes a £85 standing charge for households, a parish bill for providing waste collection services and a per bag charge every time you buy a sticker for a small or large bin sack. 

States Trading Supervisory Board President Peter Ferbrache said the strategy had been effective in changing people's behaviour when it comes to waste. However, the scheme has been a victim of its own success. 

"Such has been the success of the strategy in reducing waste, the amount households have spent under the new pay-as-you-throw system is considerably less than envisaged, and for 2019 was below what was needed to meet our costs," he said.

Pictured: Bin stickers for small bags currently cost £1.40 and stickers for larger bags cost £2.50.

"That leaves us with what some in this Assembly previously described as "a nice problem to have". However I can give the public some reassurance that we do not anticipate the need for any sudden sharp rises. This is a long term waste strategy, so it needs a long term pricing strategy, which the team is working on."

The current charging mechanism has been frozen for 2020 and will not change this year.

Deputy Ferbrache told Express that the future model could see the current prices change - or it may require a new model altogether. 

"We can honestly say we are talking about it and have not yet to come to a decision as to how it will be financed in the future," he said. "It could be a mixture [of the current charging mechanisms] or it may need to be a different model in the long term."

Pictured: Deputy Peter Ferbrache is President of the STSB, which oversees the States trading assets. 

Whichever model is chosen, he reiterated the aims of the strategy to reduce waste, and praised the team behind the strategy's implementation. 

"The parishes deserve enormous credit for the role they have played, as do their collection contractors. They do a fantastic job. We must also acknowledge the small team at Guernsey Waste, who planned, co-ordinated and communicated what was a very large, complex programme.

"Change is seldom welcome and never easy, but a measure of their success is how quickly islanders have adapted to and embraced the new systems. Guernsey's recycling rate has increased significantly, and is on a par with, if not better than the very best in Europe and possibly the world. I am sure that will be a source of some pride for our community."