An officer key decision was made to award contracts for the supply of food waste caddies and liners, ensuring compliance with the Environment Act 2021. This decision supports the council's environmental and sustainability priorities by facilitating separate weekly food waste collections.

Approval to Award Contract for Food Waste Caddies and Liners

The Interim Corporate Director of Environment and Sustainable Transport, Sean McDermid, in consultation with Councillor John Whitworth, Cabinet Member for Air Quality, Climate Emergency & Environment, approved the award of contracts for the supply of food waste caddies and liners. This decision is a crucial step towards meeting the requirements of the Environment Act 2021, which mandates local authorities to provide separate weekly food waste collections to all residential households by 31 March 2026. Funding for this initiative is being provided by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Carbon Offset Fund.

The approved contracts are as follows:

• 5-litre internal food waste caddies: Awarded to IPL Plastics UK Ltd for £158,457.20.
• 23-litre external food waste caddies: Awarded to IPL Plastics UK Ltd for £284,681.10.
• Caddy liners (26/52 roll for the first phase): Awarded to Cromwell Polythene Limited for £6,212.75.

These contracts were procured via Lots 1 and 2 of the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) Refuse and Recycling Framework-1185.

The decision to procure these items is necessary to ensure compliance with the Environment Act 2021. The council's commitment to environmental and sustainability priorities is demonstrated through this initiative, which aims to reduce biodegradable waste sent to energy from waste treatment and instead divert it for recycling via anaerobic digestion. This aligns with national and local commitments to increase recycling rates, cut carbon emissions, and promote responsible resource use, as outlined in Newham's Just Transition plan and Corporate Plan, Building a Fairer Newham . Furthermore, it supports Newham's Recycling and Waste Strategy, contributing to the Mayor of London's target of recycling 50% of household waste across London Boroughs by 2030.

The procurement process involved consultation with Newham's Procurement Lead and WRAP, and alternative procurement routes, including joint procurement with other East London Waste Authority Boroughs, were explored and discounted due to a lack of benefit compared to direct procurement via the YPO framework.

There is an underspend of £165,000 on the food waste caddies. DEFRA has indicated that any unexhausted capital funding should be used for delivering waste collection improvements. This underspend may be allocated to an additional vehicle for communal food waste rounds, or potentially for procuring caddy liners for all residents and providing bin housing units for communal waste collection properties, which is considered best practice to enhance participation and support cost savings. A future cabinet paper in December 2025 will provide recommendations on the use of this remaining funding.

The decision was made by Sean McDermid, Interim Corporate Director of Environment and Sustainable Transport, following consultation with Councillor John Whitworth. The decision can be implemented from 14 October 2025, after the call-in period concludes at midnight on 13 October 2025. The full details of this decision can be found in the Printed minutes 06th-Oct-2025 Officer Key Decision.