Portsmouth City Council: Modelling New Waste Management Solutions with Biffa
Collaborating with Biffa, Portsmouth City Council explored innovative waste management solutions to enhance recycling efficiency.
The Challenge
Portsmouth City Council faced the challenge of designing a new waste management system capable of increasing both the quantity and quality of recycling, in line with the Environment Act 2021.
This required the introduction of new recycling streams and the development of optimised waste collection systems and routes to ensure efficiency. Given the city’s high housing density, a kerbside-sort system – which requires separating recyclables into multiple bins at the kerbside – was deemed impractical. As a result, Portsmouth City Council decided to implement a twin-stream recycling collection system.
The Solution
To address Portsmouth’s waste management needs, Biffa proposed a collection solution that included a twin-stream recycling collection system plus a new food waste service. This approach would separate paper and card from other mixed recyclables.
The new mixed recyclables stream would include materials such as plastic bottles, plastic pots, tubs, trays, flexible plastics, cartons, food and drink cans, and glass, thereby increasing the quantity of recycled materials. Additionally, the dedicated food waste collection was designed to divert organic waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the local authority’s overall waste management strategy.
Scenario Modelling
To assist Portsmouth City Council in transitioning to an in-house waste management service, Biffa used the innovative Webaspx Waste Manager Design software and resource tables. These tools allowed Biffa to model three different collection scenarios that ensured waste collection routes were optimised and well-suited to Portsmouth’s high-density housing.
The three scenarios modelled were:
All the scenarios included resource profiles for each waste stream, detailing the number of rounds proposed, property passes per day and per week, tonnages collected, achievable payloads, vehicle use, crew size, and household participation.
Portsmouth City Council incorporated additional details from the collected data, such as pick rates, productive time, and waste volume per household. This allowed the creation of a more refined model and laid the basis for the local authority to explore more collection options and scenarios, showcasing the flexibility and adaptability of Biffa's modelling system to various collection methods.
Results
The government's Simpler Recycling announcement has prompted further modelling work and investigation. This additional work has delayed a formal decision on which direction to take, but twin-stream appears to be the most likely option.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Portsmouth City Council and Biffa has been very beneficial in evaluating future waste collection systems. Although the local authority has not yet implemented the proposed changes, Portsmouth City Council has gained invaluable insights from the scenario modelling, shaping their strategic planning.
The detailed analysis and resource tables provided by Biffa have enabled the local authority to explore various collection scenarios, ensuring they are well-prepared to meet legislative requirements and plan for more efficient waste collections.
This collaboration has not only laid a strong foundation for future decisions but also demonstrated the flexibility and adaptability of Biffa's consultancy services. With real-time data integration and predictive models, Portsmouth City Council is equipped to continuously optimise its waste collection systems, ensuring they can adapt to future demands.
Biffa has provided the local authority with the tools and knowledge needed to make informed strategic decisions.
