FOI Request - Recycling
Case reference FOI2019/00932
Published 5 September 2019
Request
• What was the rejection rate of plastic recycling sent from Guildford to the MRF in 2018?
• What happens to the plastics rejected for processing by the MRF?
• What happens to the plastics rejected during processing in the MRF
Response
What was the rejection rate of plastic recycling sent from Guildford to the MRF in 2018?
We're not specifically provided with a plastics rejection rate, rather an overall rejection rate once they've sorted the plastics into its 8 different streams as well as into paper, card, aluminium, steel and glass. The overall rejection rate was 7.2%. Commonly recorded rejections include nappies, crisp packets, food waste and bags of general waste.
What happens to the plastics rejected for processing by the MRF?
A contamination check is made at the kerbside, our crews will do a lid top check, leaving any bins that they find to be contaminated. We provide communication with residents requiring them to remove the contamination before we collect it.
When we empty the lorry at the tip the facility staff do a brief contaminants check. If there is a large single item they will remove it and deposit it in with the tipped refuse.
Once the recycling has been bulked and transported to the MRF at Edmonton. Once emptied into their facility it's checked for contamination. If it's heavily contaminated the whole load is rejected and sent to an Energy from Waste (EfW) plant locally.
What happens to the plastics rejected during processing in the MRF
Anything rejected by the MRF is sent to be used as fuel at an EfW plant.
Documents
This is Guildford Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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