The waste
industry
225. While the determination of waste strategies
lies within government, the management of wastes in the UK is
primarily in the private sector.[413]
This is different to the practice in most European countries,
where it is in the public sector, but was considered by the Environment
Agency to present considerable advantages. Caroline John argued
that the clear distinction between the regulator-the Environment
Agency- and the operators ensured greater transparency and public
protection; the Agency's Chief Executive, Ed Gallagher, perceived
advantages in the private sector's access to markets and its fostering
of innovation.[414]
226. Those advantages were borne out, in many instances,
by the evidence we received from such companies as Hampshire Waste
Services, its parent company Onyx, UK Waste and WMC Resource Recovery.[415]
We learned from them that the waste industry is at last coming
to terms with the waste hierarchy and the implications for its
operations. Innovative technologies are being tested, and the
companies are also making efforts to engage with waste minimisation
through educational initiatives in school and industry.[416]
227. Although the waste industry profits by waste
generation, it has begun to demonstrate interest in waste minimisation.
Keith Riley of Hampshire Waste Services told us that the industry
is moving "out of what I call maximum waste production and
... into resource management";[417]
similarly, David Beal of Recycle UK told us of a "shift of
focus" amongst industry as a whole towards recovering value
from waste, in which the waste industry is recognised as a key
player.[418] It would
appear that the waste industry is demonstrating greater flexibility
in its management techniques, and accepts its duty first to reduce
wastes and then to manage them responsibly.
228. Despite these improvements and the industry's
practical expertise, representatives complained that its opinion
is rarely sought when decisions are to be made about wastes. The
Local Authority Waste Disposal Companies Association told us that
too often the impact of products as waste is not considered:
"The waste ... industry
is usually left with the discards and is expected to cope with
the decisions already taken by others and inevitably has no say
in the types, quantities and nature of much of the waste stream,
for which we are expected to find disposal routes and safe and
environmentally friendly outlets, all at minimal cost".[419]
The Environmental Services Association commented
that "companies are expected to invest in increasingly sophisticated
facilities to achieve Government policy" and would therefore
welcome a closer consultative relationship between the two in
policy formulation.[420]
These suggestions were supported by comments from Onyx and from
UK Waste, who complained that the waste industry had not been
represented on the Advisory Committee on Packaging which invented
the Packaging Recovery Note.[421]
In defending the PRN, the Environment Agency told us that nobody
had "suggested anything substantially better";[422]
yet, if the waste industry was indeed excluded from deliberations
on the packaging recovery system it would appear to be a major
oversight which should be avoided in the future. The Environmental
Services Association suggested that a joint committee be set up
between the industry, regulators and Government in order to ensure
a more thorough testing of long-term Government strategy:[423]
this idea seems to us to be worth consideration.
229. Our attention was drawn to the activities of
traditional waste collectors such as "totters" and gypsies.[424]
It was claimed that the waste licensing regime operated by the
Environment Agency is making it uneconomic for these small businesses
to function. However, we did not receive a great deal of evidence
on this point and may return to it in a future inquiry.
230. Inevitably, however, those parts of the industry
which were sufficiently interested to participate in our inquiry
are not entirely representative. As we have previously discussed,
UK Waste was highly critical of landfill operations which continue
to be poorly managed, and provide inadequate environmental protection.[425]
Again, as we have previously noted, the poor design and management
of incinerators in earlier decades has left a legacy of public
mistrust.[426] The
Local Authority Waste Disposal Companies Association told us that
the industry is generally "under enforced";[427]
it is in this context that we must proceed to consider the role
of the Environment Agency.
383 
