Isle of Wight council (IWC) say the ban on waste operators taking household furniture containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to Lynnbottom tip is only a temporary measure.
As reported by News OnTheWight on Tuesday, the Environment Agency have introduced new regulations any items that may contain POPs from being disposed of at landfill sites.
IWC say the Environment Agency has been informing commercial waste operators of the planned changes since the summer, but it was only in December that the 1st January 2023 date for the introduction of the changes was announced.
Biffa, who own the actual landfill site (not the council, who only operate household recycling, the commercial waste recycling centre and the transfer station) wrote to Island waste operators in mid-December to advise them of the change.
Lucioni: A temporary measure
Karen Lucioni, Cabinet Member for Waste Management told News OnTheWight,
“I would like to reassure the private waste carriers on the Island that the temporary request not to bring POPs to site is only a temporary measure due to capacity to store these materials at this time.”
Who is not affected by new regulations
Residents and other businesses who take their own waste to the recycling and waste plants at Afton and Lynnbottom can continue to dispose of items containing POPs, such as sofas, chairs, office chairs, bean bags etc., but commercial waste operators must use “alternative routes for disposing of POPs”. They have been informed of the alternatives, Cheap Skips and Westridge, the council say.
IWC: Do not envisage an increase in incidents of fly tipping
There have been fears that the move could increase the incidence of fly tipping, as the cost of disposing of an unwanted sofa through a commercial waste operator could extend into the hundreds, according to one waste operator.
However, residents can still use the council’s bulky waste service for £40, or, if the sofa has its fire retardant labels on, they can have it collected for free on the reuse service.
A spokesperson for Isle of Wight council told News OnTheWight,
“We do not envisage there being an increase in the incidents of fly tipping, as we will continue to accept POPs waste from residents and commercial business on the Island and other waste operators have alternative routes for disposing of POPs.”
Action for fly tipping
IWC reminds residents they are responsible for disposing of their own waste properly and legally by using their household bins or taking the waste to their local household waste recycling site.
For larger loads they can also hire a licensed waste carrier to take the rubbish away, or they can use the council’s own bulky waste collection service.
Anyone caught fly-tipping could be ordered to pay a £200 fixed penalty notice or the case can be taken to court, where they face an unlimited fine or even imprisonment.
How to dispose of soft furnishings
Natasha Dix, Isle of Wight Council’s strategic manager for environment, explained to News OnTheWight,
“We want to reassure residents across the Isle of Wight that all households and all commercial businesses, who produce and bring their own waste, which includes soft furnishings, can continue to bring these to one of our Recycling Centres (aka the tip). If you are bringing soft furnishings (POPs), we have bays at both of our Recycling Centres, please make the meet and greet person aware that you are disposing of soft furnishings on arrival, and we will then dispose of them in accordance with the new regulatory guidance.
“For businesses delivering their own waste, we ask for this to go to the Commercial Waste Recycling Centre at Lynnbottom. This includes sofas, chairs etc.
“There are no other changes made to our waste and recycling operations across the Island.”
Forest Road plant
Asked whether the plant at Forest Road would be suitable for incinerating items containing POPs, the council spokesperson replied,
“We are in the process of fully evaluating what changes will be needed to the Forest Road ERF to enable it to accept and process POPS.”
Article edit
7.30am 5th Jan 2023 – Headline changed from ‘landfill’ to ‘council sites’ and extra detail bout Biffa added
11.55am 5th Jan 2023 – Reference to Cheap Skips and Westridge added
