FI15413

Request

Following our communications with Kent County Council regarding the deceit of plastic recycling being investigated including the link to this investigation https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8elg6ezlko and a proposed immediate, and longer-term solution to the plastic waste issues and how this would be funded by the producer, as opposed to Government organisations I am writing for the disclosure of information that will be freely available to the you as the Waste Collection Authority responsible for the protection of the environment and human health.

Your website does not provide evidence that all plastic waste assigned to Dover District Council (“Waste Collection Authority (WCA)”) for recycling, (with the responsibility of managing waste to end of waste life status required by the Environment Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations to protect human health and the environment), are in fact being recycled and not potentially causing human health and environmental harm.

Under the Freedom of Information Act/Environmental Information Regulations, I respectfully request the following information: The information requested is information that will be held under the Directorate responsible for waste. The information requested below is information the Environment Agency (regulatory body) could request and therefore should be maintained and be on hand:

  1. True copies of extract/s from the contract/s between the Waste Collection Authority and its appointed waste disposal contractor/s detailing the list of authorised plastics that will be recycled as stated in the Waste Collection Authorities public communications for the periods 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24
  2. True copies of the audit/s undertaken by the Waste Collection Authority to evidence the plastics published in the list/s of authorised recyclable plastics will all be processed to end of waste life status before executing the contract with the selected waste contractor/s relating to the periods 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24.
  3. True copies of audits between the Waste Collection Authority and its appointed waste contractor/s for the periods 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 relating to plastic waste/recycling.
  4. True copies of evidence that under the Environment Protection Regulations duty of care has been taken by the Collection Authority with for example internal/ external audits/ site visits/inspections to evidence all plastic grades used to manufacture the publicly published authorised list of plastic recyclables (NOT product type, as one plastic bottle can be manufactured in a different plastic to another bottle for example) assigned to the Collection Authority as “Recyclable” by the public are confirmed and evidenced to have met end of waste life status in the UK and/ or abroad (if exported) to ensure the protection of human health and the environment.
  5. True copies of all Environment Agency audits relating to plastic waste for the periods 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 For ease of reference this is the list of recyclable plastics from your website. Blue lidded bin You can recycle glass and plastic bottles and jars (including lids) plastic food containers (but not plastic film or bag).

Response

Dover District Council does not hold the information you are seeking.  Sending materials for recycling or disposal is Kent County Council’s responsibility as Waste Disposal Authority.  You can contact Kent County Council at freedomofinformation@kent.gov.uk.