It’s a #crime not to care, new campaign tells York residents

A new campaign to help curb fly-tipping is reminding residents and businesses that by law, their waste is their responsibility and must be disposed of safely and legally, otherwise they face a significant fine.

Launched with Richard McIlwain, deputy chief executive for Keep Britain Tidy, the #Crime Not to Care campaign aims to raise awareness and tackle unlicensed waste carriers responsible for a growth in fly-tipping.

All waste carriers must be licensed and only they should be used. Licensed carriers properly document the waste’s journey to its legal end, and so reduce the risk of fly-tipping.

In 2016/17 we dealt with 1,518 incidents of fly tipping at a cost of £65,087, after a year-on-year increase since 2012/13 when we dealt with 1,518 instances of fly-tipping which cost £53,295 to clear.

To ensure waste is legally disposed of, ask the carrier for their name and address. Check their license at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers or by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506. If they’re on the database, they can be used. If they’re not, please report them to neo@york.gov.uk so we can investigate. When the licensed carrier collects the waste, ask for a receipt with their name, address and vehicle registration number on it. The waste’s originator can be prosecuted if it is fly-tipped.

A waste carrier’s license is valid for three years, costs £154 and can be applied for at www.gov.uk/waste-carrier-or-broker-registration.

The campaign is also reminding residents of other ways to safely dispose of waste which can’t be taken along with kerbside collections. These include arranging for collections of bulky item by the council by calling on 01904 551551. While there is a charge for this service, up to ten items can be taken, so it’s worth contacting a local residents’ association or neighbours to share the cost and the collection.

Waste can also be taken to Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) at Hazel Court or Towthorpe and booklets of free permits for larger vehicles to carry it can be ordered via www.york.gov.uk/HWRCPermits. Or, recycling banks around the city can be used – see www.recycle-more.co.uk/bank-locator or call 01904 551551 to find where they are located.

The campaign is also promoting recycling reusable household goods with charities including British Heart Foundation, St Leonard’s Hospice, York Community Furniture Store Ltd, Besom in York, many of which will collect for free.
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Waste recovery park generates electricity from rubbish

A waste recovery park for North Yorkshire and York is now fully operational and set to generate enough energy to power 40,000 homes a year from rubbish that would previously have gone into landfill.

The start of full service at Allerton Waste Recovery Park (AWRP) near Knaresborough began this month following a rigorous testing period.

The facility has the capacity to treat up to 320,000 tonnes of waste each year and will divert more than 90 per cent of waste from landfill, as well as further increasing recycling.

It is the result of a partnership between North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council to process waste over the next 25 years. Most of the waste treated will come from households in North Yorkshire and York.

AWRP processes waste through a mechanical treatment plant, which separates recyclable and organic materials. Organic material is fed into an anaerobic digester, which will treat up to 40,000 tonnes a year to generate renewable energy. The remaining waste is used to generate electricity, enough to power at least 40,000 homes. Even by-products will be treated and recycled into aggregate for roads and reprocessed metal.

Treating waste to produce energy rather than sending it to landfill helps with global warming.  It will reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking 12,000 cars off the road overnight.

AWRP will be operated by infrastructure firm Amey following a successful three-year construction programme.

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So which roads are open in York and where can I find a salt bin?

The York Council provides an “on line” map which shows public service locations. These include the primary and secondary road gritting (salting) routes which are mainly the major bus routes. click here to view (then click “street car”e on the map index and then pick the service you want to see)

The Council also provides an update service on Twitter @yorkgritter

In addition the map shows the location of self help salt bins and the areas covered by VOLUNTEER snow wardens. The latter do their best to keep local paths open but not all neighbourhoods are covered..

Salt bins do not fill themselves so, if you see an empty one, then please report it to the Council  on York 551550 or “on line https://www.york.gov.uk/reportproblems

 

Flooding in York – Update report publised

A further report on plans to deal with flooding in York will be discussed at a Council meeting next week.

Funding has been allocated to the Environment Agency (EA) following the floods in 2015 to renew existing and provide new flood defences across the city, £17m has been allocated to the Foss Barrier improvements and £45m to the wider flood defences across the City.

Following the development and publication of the York Five Year Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/york-5-year-flood-plan) the EA have developed the Defra Strategic Outline Business Case and financial approvals have been sought and obtained from Defra.

The report does not provide an update on issues connected with Hob Moor back

click to read

The axe man cometh

The Council has now appointed a contractor who will lop trees in the Council owned section of Acomb Wood (to the rear of Osprey Close/Hawkshead Close/Pheasant Way).
Residents met with Councillors and officials late last year and tagged the (mainly self seeded) saplings which needed to be removed.
The work should benefit the remaining trees and reduce problems with overhanging branches.
The contractor hopes to start work during the fortnight commencing 8th March. The work should take about 6 days to complete, subject to weather conditions. The timetable avoids the bird nesting season.

Elsewhere, on little Green Lane, the same contractor will lop dead branches from trees. Residents met with Councillors at a site meeting in September and discussed what work needed to be done to the trees.

The work should benefit the trees and should also reduce problems with overhanging branches. The work should take about a week to complete, subject to weather conditions.