Catch up on the latest environmental news from across the county with Sofia Akin.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent on Climate live on KMTV. I'm Sophia Akin and in this show
00:21we discuss all things related to environmental issues in the county. How is climate change
00:26impacting Kent? What are communities in the county doing to tackle it? And how can you
00:31help at home? Each week we'll be taking a deep dive into a new environmental issue in
00:35the county and I'll be joined by expert guests. But first tonight, Medway Council has had
00:40to spend tens of thousands of pounds disposing of contaminated recycling. Recycling that's
00:45contaminated with items such as nappies or food waste has to be disposed of alternatively,
00:51which means additional costs. First reported by the local democracy reporting service,
00:56the council has spent more than £80,000 dealing with contaminated waste since October
01:012022. Oliver Leeder to SACS has more. Tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayer money spent
01:09on dealing with waste gone wrong. Last November, Medway Council reported that 20% of curbside
01:16recycling was contaminated, meaning it had to be disposed of by alternative means. With
01:21a cost of £57,000 over the previous 12 months. And the problem is still ongoing. The council
01:28spent £25,000 disposing of contaminated recycling in the five months after that November council
01:36meeting. That's more than 1,000 tonnes of contaminated recycling. Recycling can become
01:43contaminated by rogue items being put in the wrong bags. Down the road in Raynham, passersby
01:49were confident that they were recycling savvy, but were slightly taken aback by the cost of
01:55contamination. Pretty confident you get the fun sack for the plastics and glass and things like
02:03that and another one, a box for the paper and the card. Yeah, I've got a brown bin for garden
02:10rubble. I use the green bins and then I use the black bags. I put everything where it should go.
02:17So would it surprise you then to know that the council has spent £25,000 disposing of
02:23contaminated recycling? Really? Wow. If people did what they meant to do, you wouldn't have this
02:34problem. Some people just don't care, as long as it's not in their backyard, whatever. That's all
02:42you can do, a leaflet, I think, in their front letterbox and say that it's costing the council
02:49money that they should be spending on something else. The Raynham Eco Hub has been helping to
02:54boost Raynham's sustainability since it started in 2020. They say this problem may not be malicious.
03:01There's a concept called wish cycling, which is where people really, really want to do the right
03:05thing. And so I think sometimes people can end up putting things in recycling, not because they're
03:11bad people and not because they're lazy or because they don't care, but because they really want to
03:16do the right thing. So some of the items that end up contaminating waste can include batteries or
03:24household recycling, food waste, nappies, textiles. And the people that are producing
03:30the items that need recycling, they need to have a bit more of a conversation with people of, you
03:36know, how to do that more effectively. A Medway Council spokesperson says that information on how
03:42different types of waste should be recycled is widely available, with guidelines printed on
03:48recycling bags and available on their website and social media channels. So next time it comes to
03:54recycling day, be careful. The cost of contamination may be more than you think.
04:00Oliver Leeds of the Sacks in Raynham for KMTV.
04:04Well, Ollie joins us now with more. But firstly, do you recycle as a Medway resident?
04:08Oh, absolutely, Sophia. I am a big recycling fan, though it is a lot harder than people tend to
04:14think because a lot of this like packaging that we get is paper, it's plastic, we assume it's all
04:21recyclable. But in reality, there's a lot of issues with it. Some plastics are only recyclable at
04:27bigger shops. Obviously, where I live, that's quite a far way for me to go, especially without
04:32a driving licence. Other places, other things such as like cling film, not cling film, but other
04:38plastics aren't recyclable at all, aren't recyclable yet. They'll have a little logo on the front
04:43saying it will be recycled soon. This is a process described as activists as greenwashing, where
04:48companies tend to launder their reputation by making it look more sustainable and environmentally
04:54friendly than it actually is. And perhaps that explains why so many residents are getting fined.
04:59There were 3,000 tonnes of contaminated plastics back between October 2022 and November 2023.
05:06That's a lot of contaminated plastics. Of course, all the guidance is on the plastic bags and the
05:13Medway Council website. So if you are a resident at home, don't get caught out. Just check what can
05:18go in the recycling bag. You don't want to be inferring any more costs on your local councils.
05:24That's it. You've just got to do some research, haven't you, and find out the correct ways to
05:28recycle. Ollie, thank you very much. We're sticking with bins, though, as Swale Borough
05:33Council has issued an apology to residents after reports of delays collecting rubbish across the
05:38borough. It follows the council's changed service contract earlier this year, with some residents
05:43now saying they've had delays of weeks on end. The council says that in the long term, changes to
05:48collection routes will improve resilience, but they need time to bed in. Oliver Leeder-Sacks has
05:53this story as well. Since the end of March, a new rubbish service contract between Swale
05:58Borough Council and Suez Recycling and Recovering UK came into effect. But ever since the new
06:05contract started two months ago, residents across Sittingbourne, Faversham and the Isle of Sheppey
06:11have experienced significant disruption after new waste collection routes and vehicles were
06:16introduced. Yesterday morning, apparently, they came down and collected our neighbours down at
06:22number five, and they've left number fours and ours number one. Cheryl Moore has lived in Faversham
06:29for decades. She says she's never seen it so bad, and that garden and food waste are the biggest
06:36concerns. I get really angry because we have had weeks with just bin bags stuck out here,
06:43absolutely going rank. We've had one brown bin collection since this company took over.
06:50We've done numerous runs to the tip to get rid of our garden rubbish because it's the time of the
06:54year when you obviously make more garden waste. And last week, we even had to take our food waste
07:02up because it stank, and it was full of maggots, and they've left it again today. As you can see,
07:07it's quite a sunny day here on Nelson Street, and these food bins have not been collected,
07:12meaning they're starting to stink quite a bit. You can smell the rot in the air, flies buzzing
07:19around. It's only going to get worse as the summer goes on. Residents say it's not good enough.
07:25We've lived here for, well, I've lived here for nearly 30 years, and just the other day,
07:30I saw the first rat I've ever seen in the vicinity. In the early days, we got forgotten completely.
07:37My wife has probably run the council 20, 30 times, each time to be told, yes, we'll do something
07:44about it, and very little happens. I mean, for a period of about two or three weeks, it was okay,
07:49but then it seems to have gone downhill again. In an open letter apology released on Tuesday,
07:54the Labour leader of the council, Tim Gibson, and Green Chair of the Environment and Climate
07:59Change Committee, Rich Layman, say they are working hard to improve services. They say the
08:04changes will lead to a more resilient service, but that they will need time before this can be
08:09achieved. The council say they don't feel the current level of service is acceptable, and fixing
08:15it is a top priority, but it will still take a lot from the council to convince people here in
08:20Faversham they aren't talking a load of rubbish. Oliver Lewis-Sacks for KMTV. Now, just before the
08:28break, we've got time for a quick roundup of all the climate headlines from across the county.
08:33This evening, we'll be discussing sewage leaks, solar farm protests, and a herd of elephants,
08:38which are set to be returned to Africa. For all the details, I'm joined by climate reporter
08:43Robert Isaacson in the studio. So, tell us a little bit about your first story tonight.
08:48Yes, well, a water company, Southern Water, planned to build a huge pipe off of Swale Cliff's
08:53coast in order to pump sewage out further into the sea, but campaigners are saying that it's
08:59not solving the problem. Campaigner group SOS Whitstable say the pipe's construction will not
09:04solve the crisis of sewage being regularly discharged off the Kent coast, and are now
09:10concerned about the potential health risk it poses to sea swimmers. Southern Water was fined a record
09:15of £90 million in 2021 for deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the sea.
09:22The company admitted to nearly 7,000 illegal spills from 17 sites in Kent, Hampshire and West
09:28Sussex between 2010 and 2015. Now, the company is working to lay down the new outfall pipe,
09:35following damage to the previous smaller one, with gigantic barges visible from the coast.
09:41Well, yeah, it's worth mentioning Southern Water, yeah, can sometimes get permits, can't they,
09:47to discharge the sewage into the sea, just as we hadn't heard from them. Those are situations
09:52where there are storm overflows, heavy rainwater. But tell us a bit about your next story.
09:57Yes, residents of Lim are disgruntled that Folkestone High District Council's plans to
10:03build a solar farm on local green fields. The council hopes that the solar farm will provide
10:08for a planned 10,000 home garden town called Otterpool Park. But villagers say there's no
10:14need for it, as it would be a terrible loss of high-quality farmland. One resident in particular
10:20is concerned that the build is on a field, it's on a slope which could potentially result in
10:26his property becoming flooded if crops are replaced with solar panels. Green Council leader
10:31Jim Martin believes that the solar panels will help Otterpool Park to become a net zero community
10:37and justify the future town's construction. However, with no completion date in sight for
10:42the Otterpool Park development, villagers are concerned that the solar farm will end up having
10:47nothing to do with Otterpool in the first place. Okay, and just lastly, your final story,
10:52herd of elephants returning to Africa. Yes, a first-of-its-kind project to return Kent's
10:58only herd of African elephants to their original habitat is underway. Howlett's Wild Animal Park
11:05is home to a herd of 13 African elephants, the largest anywhere in the UK. Their population
11:11has been in decline for several decades due to illegal poaching for ivory and loss of habitat,
11:17leading to both species of African elephant being listed as endangered.
11:21Now, the Aspinall Foundation, which runs both Howlett's and its sister park, Port Lim,
11:26is working on a project to bring these animals back into the wild. The project director has
11:30stated that the project will have conservation benefits by reintroducing the animals to their
11:34proper climate. They're not only protecting the habitat, but also sending a message that
11:39individual animals matter, be it captive ones or wild ones. Well, Robert, thank you for joining us
11:44with a range of climate stories there. It's time now for a short break, but coming up,
11:49we'll have much more environmental news from across Kent. I'll see you in a few minutes.
12:14Thank you.
12:44Thank you.
13:14Thank you.
13:44Thank you.
14:14Thank you.
14:45Thank you.
15:04Hello and welcome back to Kent on Climate live on KMTV. Now, a Medway Council Planning Committee
15:12has approved plans to turn part of Chatham Docks into a business park. Peelwater, who are behind
15:17the plan, says that it will create hundreds of jobs and improve biodiversity due to the creation
15:22of new green spaces. But businesses say they may not be able to operate if the plans go ahead,
15:27with up to 800 jobs on the line. Oliver Leeders-Sacks was at the meeting.
15:34Anger and frustration ahead of a very special Medway Council Planning Committee meeting
15:40determining the future of Chatham Docks. Earlier this year, owners Peelwater put in a planning
15:46application to turn part of Medway's only working dock into a business park called Basin 3. They
15:54say the plans will create hundreds of jobs. Originally penciled in for the beginning of May,
16:00a council decision on the plans was delayed until yesterday following a legal challenge by Kent
16:05Wire. You can hear the strokes of feeling in the air outside of St George's Centre.
16:10Dozens of workers protesting the plans, saying it could cost their jobs and their futures.
16:16I've lived in Medway all my life. If they were to close, for sure, it sounds like my job would go.
16:23I may have to relocate out of the area, move away from my family. An immediate family will cause
16:29issues as well. It's difficult. These are well paid jobs that people have got here.
16:34They're not just, you know, any old jobs that people have got. They're well paid jobs
16:38and, you know, people rely on them. Workers piled into the public gallery for the meeting,
16:44where the ward councillor for the area gave an impassioned speech against the plans.
16:50These jobs are not just numbers. They represent families and are crucial for our local and
16:57national economy. But Labour councillors were quick to point out their obligation
17:03to focus on planning concerns alone. And you're just trying to hold back the tide.
17:08This is a planning committee, so we should be reviewing things on this planning merit alone.
17:15Because if we don't, if we don't, we will set precedent for other planning applications. And I
17:22think you're overcooking the subject. Planning officer, the Mayorate Council,
17:28who recommended the plans, said they should be voted on based on their merits.
17:33It does not stop the basin being used for a commercial port,
17:37and therefore in itself will not result in the docks closing. It does not impact,
17:44it does not impact on the continued use of the larger northern parcels
17:49for B2, B8 uses, including a commercial port.
17:56Votes against.
17:58When it came to making a decision, there was only one vote in it.
18:02That's eight, four, seven against.
18:06The application is approved.
18:08But after the meeting, Kent Wire said they're not backing down.
18:12We set up through our barristers a number of scenarios,
18:16and this was top of the list of the scenario that we anticipated.
18:20So don't worry. The fight goes on.
18:23The decision last night does not necessarily mean plans will go ahead.
18:27The Department of Leveling Up and Communities have put in place an Article 31 holding order.
18:32This means any decision will need the approval of the Secretary of State to go ahead.
18:37And with the election on the way, that now won't happen until July at the earliest.
18:42But with the decision made last night,
18:45Medway is one step closer to a very different Chatham Docks in the future.
18:49Oliver, Leader of the Saks, for KMTV.
18:53A fox cub's been rescued in Herne Bay after getting its head stuck in an old wheel.
18:57The young animal was found in the predicament by Sophie Fowler and her husband,
19:02John, in their garden on Herne Avenue.
19:04The couple tried to get her free by pushing her head back through.
19:07They even used oil as a lubricant before calling Kent Wildlife Rescue Services,
19:12which brought the animal to the local vets.
19:14The young fox, named Fifi, was then put under anaesthesia
19:17and went limp, allowing the vet to pull her free.
19:20After being freed from the wheel,
19:21the fox was released back into the couple's garden safely.
19:26What a lovely story.
19:27Now, Thanet motorists are being warned they could be fined
19:30for leaving their engine running when stopping on the side of the road.
19:34It's something many of us do,
19:35parents waiting outside their children's school or perhaps picking up a friend.
19:39The District Council says the enforcement approved last week
19:43will be primarily focused on education to clean up harmful pollutants from the air.
19:47But as our local democracy reporter Gabriel Morris reports,
19:50many say it's going to make no difference at all.
19:55The dreaded rush hour in Ramsgate, and it brings more than just traffic jams.
20:00It also increases emissions.
20:04Well, in a bid to reduce air pollution,
20:05Thanet District Council enforcement officers will now have the power to fire motorists
20:09if they pull over part of their car and don't switch their engine off.
20:15Well, that is called idling.
20:17It's now hoped the £20 fixed penalty notice,
20:20rising to £40 if not paid in time, will make people turn off their engine.
20:26Not particularly, no.
20:28If you're idling, it's going to be for a very small period.
20:31You're going to create much more emissions when you pull away.
20:35You know, if you switch your engine off,
20:37at least that people are prepared to know that you've stopped,
20:42not going to suddenly pull off and they're in the back of you.
20:46Two reasons. One, you're wasting fuel, which is expensive enough as it is,
20:51and the other one is you're polluting the atmosphere.
20:54The Labour-run authority says the nitrogen dioxide and fine particles
20:58produced by an idling engine need tackling,
21:00and a fine will only be issued if a driver refuses to turn an engine off.
21:05But will this make any difference?
21:08In principle, it sounds a good idea.
21:11I would question the logic of it for a number of reasons.
21:16We've got to have the resource to enforce this issue,
21:19somebody to speak to the driver and request that he turns it off.
21:23At the moment, it's difficult to find enough parking attendant wardens,
21:27so I question how this could be policed.
21:31In addition to that, the impact would be so minimal.
21:34It's not the first time a Kent council has adopted enforcement powers like this.
21:39Canterbury City Council introduced fines two years ago.
21:42We asked the authority how many notices they'd issued.
21:45They responded by saying they were pleased nobody had been fined.
21:50While infallible, these powers will initially be around schools
21:53and air quality management areas.
21:56The authority says it's a move primarily focused on education
22:00and raising public awareness rather than enforcement.
22:04Gabriel Morris in Ramsgate.
22:07Now, the weather's been a little bit all over the place for the last few days,
22:10but what will the climate in Kent be looking like for the week ahead?
22:19Cloudy skies tonight, loads of nine and highs of 11 in Folkestone.
22:24Tomorrow morning, though, looking much sunnier,
22:27with temperatures rising to 14 degrees along the east coast
22:31and some clouds, though, sticking around too.
22:33Temperatures rising again through to the afternoon,
22:35highs of 17 in Dartford and Maidstone, slightly cooler by the coast.
22:39And here's the outlook for the rest of the week,
22:41staying sunny until the end, highs of 20 on Friday, 19 on the weekend.
22:55And finally, a Canterbury Cat Cafe is celebrating one year of rehoming
23:00and rescuing dozens of cats from all the way across Kent,
23:03providing them a forever home at a cafe.
23:06And while the coffee shop is at cat-pacity now,
23:09it wants to do more to help rescue the animals from around the local area
23:13and provide adoption support services going forward.
23:17Oliver Leader de Sacks went down to get a feline for the place.
23:21You may have heard of the Canterbury Tales,
23:23but perhaps not quite like this.
23:26Based in the centre of the city,
23:28Pip Harris set up Canterbury's first cat cafe just over a year ago.
23:34Now celebrating its first anniversary,
23:36the fully sustainable coffee spot has rehomed dozens of cats.
23:40There are around 27 cats at this cat cafe,
23:44including Custard here, who's looking quite relaxed on this chair.
23:48Here's one of 24 cats who have been rehomed and rescued.
23:54The owners want to give them a perfect life.
23:57All of our cats have been rehomed from all across the UK from different situations.
24:02Obviously, some of them have had two or three homes before.
24:04I just wanted them to be secure, happy, healthy,
24:08and just know that, you know, they're safe here,
24:09they're not going to get moved around again.
24:11This ethical ethos extends to every part of the business,
24:14with protecting the planet going hand in paw
24:17with helping their cat companions.
24:20Everywhere I source from,
24:21I'm trying to make sure that we are being as green as possible.
24:25So some of our delivery providers, you know,
24:29they have solar power on their roofs and their trucks and things,
24:32on their warehouses, even our waste as well.
24:34So all of our food waste, the company that we're with,
24:37it goes away and gets turned into biofuel.
24:39Our litter is eco as well.
24:41It's made from plant pulp.
24:43Anywhere I can that I'm looking to make the more sustainable switch,
24:46then we do.
24:48One regular feline friend is final year university student,
24:51Morgan Staden.
24:53She says a cat cafe gives her a space to relax and reflect.
24:58When you're studying, you kind of feel a bit away from nature and everything,
25:03but being able to reconnect and be able to be like,
25:06oh, there are pets here and that you can give them love
25:10that you can't give to your pets because you're far away from home.
25:15And it's just, it's just, it's just lovely.
25:19While the cafe may already be popular with pet lovers,
25:22the owners are still thinking about how to make
25:24the nine lives of cats across Canterbury even better.
25:28We want to start, I don't know if she's mentioned,
25:30but we want to start rehoming schemes,
25:33where obviously there's loads of rooms upstairs.
25:34So we want to be able to,
25:36and luckily we've got quite a few eyes on us online.
25:38So rehoming and spotlighting cats that need a home wouldn't be too hard.
25:43So we want to start on that, working on that.
25:45We want to start creating evening sessions,
25:48whether it's going to be sessions about mental health or creative sessions.
25:52We want to create even more of a community.
25:55With plans for adoption services and cat community assistance going forward,
26:00it's clear this cafe is doing everything it can to be the pick of the litter.
26:05Oliver Leeds is the sax for KNTV in Canterbury.
26:10Out of all of those cats, I don't know which one was the cutest.
26:13But that's all we've got time for on this week's episode of Kent on Climate.
26:17We'll be back very soon with a brand new episode next week,
26:20discussing more matters relevant to environmental issues in the county.
26:24If there are ever any climate stories you want us to cover,
26:27do get in touch with KMTV at kmtvdesk.co.uk.
26:31But thank you very much for watching us this evening.
26:33We'll be back at eight o'clock with our evening news bulletin,
26:36with all the latest news from across Kent.
26:38I'll see you very soon, but for now, goodbye.