Present: Paul Smith (Chair), Barbara Judge (UNA), David Meade (Woodlands Trust Joydens Wood), John Prance (DBC), Alan Cremer (DBC), Richard Wiltshire (QED Allotments), Steve Weiss (National Power), Russell Thompson (Glaxo Wellcome).
1) Apologies for Absence: Phil Kessel, Eric Tomlinson and Graeme Laidlaw.
2) Response to Dartford Borough Council's Local Agenda 21 Review: Paul tabled a draft, which was agreed as the Group's response. The Council will consider the Review in Committee on December 14, the same evening as the Allotment Awards Presentation. Barbara suggested that children's charities such as NSPCC should become involved with Local Agenda 21. Alan noted that regular mailings about QED go to local branches of many different societies. There was a general welcome for more project-centred work, and Alan announced that a fourth school has joined the QED Great Dartford Pumpkin Competition.
3) Consultation Document: Local Environment Agency Plan (LEAP) for the Kent Area: Paul tabled a draft which was discussed at length. The conclusions agreed on individual issues were as follows:
Issue 24 - Sustainable waste management: With reference to the "survey of waste arisings at selected waste producers" (p. 40), the Group hoped that the EA would include an adequate representation of medium and small businesses within its sample.
Issue 25 - Waste management facilities: It was agreed that more facilities for the disposal and recovery of waste are needed in this area on the Kent side of the Thames.
Issue 26 - Sites claiming exemption from waste management licensing: The Group felt that some exemptions needed to be tightened, but others should be covered by self-policing agreements, e.g. for small community composting schemes through the Community Composting Network.
Issue 27 - Pollution from the metal recycling (scrap) industry: The Group was concerned as to whether car dismantlers/breakers fall within this category, since they generally employ little or no preventative measure to control oil pollution, let alone other substances. Exemptions should be minimised.
Issue 28 - Land application of sewage sludge: The Group felt that the process of disposal must be monitored, and there should be a code of practice. Pollutants in sewage sludge should be monitored in addition to heavy metals, e.g. pathogens.
Issue 29 - Danger of contamination of potable water supply: The Group was concerned that the cumulative effect of runoff from farms should be monitored.
Issue 30 - Sustainable management of landfill gas: Use should be made of this gas wherever possible; otherwise it should be flared. It is unclear how many of the 30 methane control systems etc. (p. 47) are to be located in Kent.
Issue 31 - Risk of illegal waste disposal (flytipping): Given that this problem is being exacerbated locally by the Landfill Tax, the Group thought it appropriate that some proceeds from the Tax be applied to solving the problem. The Group also recognised, however, that a moral hazard could be created, because an effective clean-up programme could simply encourage more people to flytip and avoid the Tax in the knowledge that the environmental impact would be minimal.
Section 4.4 - Development and water supply: The Group welcomed the reference to water demand management (e.g. leakage control), but felt that more should be done to encourage water conservation, e.g. through dry gardening, which is something Local Agenda 21 Initiatives could promote in partnership with local Water Companies.
Section 4.5 - Local Agenda 21: The Group was of the opinion that the EA appears to have misunderstood the philosophy of Local Agenda 21. Initiatives such as QED are not structured on the basis that the local authority proposes what actions need to be taken and the Groups react: there is a genuine two-way partnership in planning and execution. The EA should adopt a similar iterative strategy in entering into partnership with Local Agenda 21s.
4) QED Welcome Pack: This has been discussed by the Steering Group, and subsequently by the Health Group, which hopes to pilot the pack at Darenth Park. There will be further discussions at the next Steering Group regarding the setting up of a special project team to develop the pack.
5) Community Recycling Network: The Group's membership has been confirmed, and a variety of leaflets have been provided. There was a general discussion of the best way of handling such material, a great deal of which is accumulating within the Civic Centre. Richard proposed that a local secondary school be invited to host a QED Environment Library into which this material could be deposited. The list of material which Alan prepared some time ago should be updated and then maintained on the Website, so potential users (especially schools doing project work) could look up what's available. It appears that the Community Recycling Network has its own website, so additional useful documents may be available there(http://www.crnhq.demon.co.uk)
6) Malmesbury Clear Out Day: Paul will circulate details with the Notes. A Dartford version could be a very good project for next year, particularly around the time of the Dartford Festival.
7) Other Business:
(i)John reported that Tidy Britain Group has launched a scheme for volunteer groups to keep highway verges tidy.
(ii) The KCC Household Waste Strategy has been published, and still calls for 20% of waste to go to landfill into the next century. There is concern that this 20% could be concentrated in the Dartford area, creating a serious disposal problem, particularly if opposition mounts in Essex to the import of wastes from other counties and the Maidstone waste to power project is delayed.
(iii) KCC has also launched its "War on Waste": Richard has been contacted about this by Kathy Masters in connection with the Pumpkin Competition.
(iv) Destinations for trips next year were discussed, including New Cross Waste to Power / Crossness and the Dry Garden at Wye College / Wyecycle.
8) Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday January 13, 1999, from 7.30 pm at the Civic Centre.
END: Return to the QED Waste Management Group home page ...