Would the Minister advise the Assembly of the progress, if any, in finding alternative composting sites and will he also undertake to investigate kitchen waste recycling systems such as those being established in the U.K.

2.9   Deputy R.C. Duhamel of St. Saviour of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the progress in finding alternative composting sites and the potential investigation of kitchen waste recycling systems:

Would the Minister advise the Assembly of the progress, if any, in finding alternative composting sites and will he also undertake to investigate kitchen waste recycling systems such as those being established in the U.K. and to report his findings to the Assembly in the New Year?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye (The Minister for Transport and Technical Services):

I am pleased to confirm that the site selection process for a suitable site for replacing the current windrow composting facility at La Collette has been completed, subject only to a confirmation of

the validity of the exercise to be undertaken by officers in the Planning and Environment and Public Health Departments this week. The outcomes of the exercises are as follows: of the 18 private sites and 11 state-owned sites evaluated, 11 sites were passed for consideration for more detailed assessment. In relation to the compost treatment facility or facilities required the evaluation process identified that the current industrial location at La Collette was, by a

considerable distance, the most suitable location for the proposed replacement enclosed composting facility. In addition the process identified that there were no suitable private sites which offered advantages in terms of developing multiple locations for carrying out composting. With regards,

Sir, to the Deputy 's question about kitchen waste recycling systems I do not believe that further work is required on this matter as it has been thoroughly reviewed both by my department as well as a working party set up to review composting in 2006 chaired by Deputy Le Claire.

1. Deputy R.C. Duhamel:

Can the Minister confirm that his department, in looking at alternative systems, agreed with the consultants in that the alternative kitchen waste recycling systems were not looked at in detail because they did not form a complete solution to the Island's waste management?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

The Deputy is well aware of the problems with kitchen waste composting and it is simply down to the fact that the residue  is a compost composed primarily of kitchen waste and regrettably a comprehensive letter detailing the issues of disposal of kitchen waste compost in the Island was missed out of the report submitted to this House by Deputy Le Claire and himself. But the straightforward issue, as has been debated by the House in the Solid Waste Strategy, is that there are real problems with supermarket protocols in respect of using agricultural land for disposal of certain composts.

2. Deputy R.C. Duhamel:

Will the Minister in that case forward to the Environment Scrutiny Panel these pieces of evidence which he has told the House would suggest that there are difficulties with supermarket protocols? Because the evidence that the Scrutiny Panel has otherwise is to the alternative.

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

The evidence I have is exactly the same letter as was sent to the review panel looking into composting of which the Deputy was a Member. I am very surprised that he does not have a copy of it but I am willing to give him a copy of mine if I still retain it.

3. Deputy R.C. Duhamel:

Will the Minister confirm that kitchen waste recycling represents at present a significant proportion of the materials that are attempted to be burnt at the current incinerator facility of the order of 25 per cent and material is generally wet?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

Kitchen waste does constitute a significant part of our waste disposal problem. It is what Members might regard more colloquially as black bag waste. The issues are obvious. It is mixed waste, it can be tins, it can be plastic, almost all of it contaminated one way or another by food. That makes problems difficult which is why the Transport and Technical Services Department, through the waste strategy, is seeking I think the best way forward in terms of recycling which will be run out

progressively through the parishes.  This is to enlist the aid of local people to take certain elements out of that waste stream, most notably glass, certain numbers of plastic and tin cans for example, where we do ask people to please clean them before they are collected separately. That is the way forward for recycling. It is to keep things clean and separated as from the start of the disposal system.

Deputy P.V.C. Le Claire:

Sir, may I ask one question? I did not realise it was going to be the final supplementary.

The Bailiff :

I am sorry, Deputy , no. That question has now been closed. We come to the next question, which is Deputy Duhamel of the Minister for Treasury and Resources.