MEMORANDUM BY THE DETR (DSW 13)
THE WASTE
STRATEGY
1. Waste Strategy 2000: England and Wales,
published in May 2000, sets out the Government's vision for improving
the management of waste and delivering a more sustainable use
of resources. The strategy will deliver a reduction in the amount
of waste produced and an increase in recycling and composting.
It will drive a significant shift away from landfill towards recycling
and recovery.
2. For commercial and industrial waste,
the aim is to reduce the amount of waste landfilled to 85 per
cent of 1998 levels, by 2005. For household waste, new legislation
will deliver substantial changes in the collection and recovery
in England and Wales. The target is to recycle or compost 25 per
cent of household waste by 2005, and 30 per cent by 2010.
3. The strategy sets out the many levers
for change which will lead to more sustainable use of resources
throughout the chain. They include:
— Statutory local authority recycling
and composting targets for household waste.
— Tradable permits limiting the amount
of waste local authorities in England can send to landfill.
— Waste and Resources Action Programme
(WRAP).
— The landfill tax escalator.
— Improvements to the landfill tax
credit scheme to increase recycling.
— Best Practice Programmes.
— Measures to encourage the recycling
of waste oils.
— Tackling waste streams through producer
responsibility.
— Waste minimisation requirements of
the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control regime.
— Awareness raising through the "are
you doing your bit?" campaign.
— Pilot scheme to require public procurement
of certain recycled products.
There are many further instruments discussed
in the strategy.
WASTE REDUCTION
4. Reduction in the amount of waste that
is produced is the first step to a more sustainable use of resources.
The Government is stepping up efforts to reduce both the volume
and hazardousness of waste.
5. Guidance on Integrated Pollution Prevention
and Control (IPPC) will set out proposals on waste reduction for
the substantial number of industrial and waste management facilities
covered by the permitting process. The landfill tax encourages
waste reduction, as well as diversion from landfill, and the incentive
will be increased as the rate of tax escalates. Tonnage based
recovery and recycling targets in the packaging Regulations also
encourage obligated businesses to reduce waste. The European Commission
has proposed a Directive extending producer responsibility to
electrical and electronic goods and may propose a further Directive
to increase recycling of batteries. Other factors that promote
waste reduction in industry include the Special Waste Regulations;
increases in the costs of treatment and disposal of hazardous
wastes; and increasing awareness of the financial and environmental
benefits of reducing both the volume and hazardousness of wastes.
6. Reducing waste can both increase business
competitiveness and reduce environmental impacts. A number of
initiatives support this aim. The Government's Environmental Technology
Best Practice Programme works with individual businesses to introduce
good practice, waste reduction, re-use and recycling. It also
provides case studies and benchmarking guides, and works with
waste minimisation clubs, of which there are now over 100 in the
UK. The Government has published guidance on evaluating waste
management in company environmental reports, and encourages companies
who want to improve environmental performance to show their commitment
by signing up for Making a Corporate Commitment, or joining environmental
management systems such as ISO 14001 or EMAS.
7. Individuals can also reduce waste, through
purchasing and disposal decisions, and by bringing pressure to
bear on retailers and manufacturers. The Government, in partnership
with local authorities, will pilot several schemes providing householders
with incentives to reduce waste, and increase recycling.
PROMOTING RECYCLING
8. Achieving higher levels of recycling
for household and business waste will require action on two fronts:
developing markets for recycled material in order to increase
demand; and increasing the collection and supply of recyclable
material.
9. The strategy announces a major new programme—WRAP,
the Waste and Resources Action Programme. It will promote sustainable
waste management by tackling the barriers to increased recycling
and other more sustainable forms of waste management. Government
funding of £30 million has already been secured and WRAP
will also seek funding from other sources, including the private
sector and the Landfill Tax Credits Scheme.
10. WRAP will be delivered through an independent
not-for-profit company which will be launched later this year,
and we have recently announced that Vic Cocker, previously Group
Chief Executive of Severn Trent plc, will be its first chair.
WRAP expect to appoint a chief executive in the next few weeks,
and other senior posts shortly afterwards. As well as its permanent
staff, we will expect WRAP to draw on the expertise of a wide
range of experts from business and industry, academia, and the
waste management industry.
11. Since the publication of the strategy
the Department and its advisers have been working to draw up a
detailed business plan for WRAP, which will be published later
this year. Initial priorities are already being developed, and
they are likely to include:
— a technical support programme to
support trials of equipment and technology to identify new uses
for recyclates;
— tackling the information barriers
to increased recycling by developing advice and guidance services;
— support for the emerging network
of regional market development programmes; and
— a major programme to develop new
local markets through community enterprises.
12. For many materials a significant increase
in recycling will require expansion of existing markets and development
of new end-uses. Reprocessing capacity is an important link between
supply and final use. Sufficient capacity exists in some sectors,
but there are instances where further investment is needed. This
is one of the issues which WRAP will tackle.
13. The strategy announces the introduction
of statutory performance standards for local authority recycling
and composting. These performance standards will require local
authorities in England to almost double household recycling and
composting rates by 2003, to an overall rate of around 17 per
cent. The Government will set further targets for 2005 and 2010
in line with our goal to achieve 25 per cent recycling and composting
by 2005, and 30 per cent by 2010. Performance standards for 2003
and 2005 will be introduced through secondary legislation later
this year, following consultation (Best Value and Audit Commission
Performance Indicators for 2001-02: Consultation Paper, published
5 September 2000).
14. A small number of local councils already
exceed the Government's targets, or are close to doing so. However,
all authorities will be expected to show continued improvements,
with the best reaching 40 per cent by 2005, and going beyond this
in the longer term.
15. The overall recycling and composting
targets have been set at a level the Government believes will
be challenging, but achievable. Limited markets remain a significant
barrier, but, in the Government's view, demand for recyclable
material has the potential to expand to levels comparable with
our European neighbours. Experience over the next few years will
provide better information on industry's capacity to reprocess
and recycle materials, and better information on collection systems.
Targets will be reviewed in light of developing technology, and
experience.
16. Waste and recycling will be supported
by the major extra funding announced on 18 July. This sets the
framework for Government support to local government for the next
three years. It provides an annual increase in the revenue support
to local authorities for environmental and cultural services,
including waste, so that for the third year the amount will have
risen by £1,127 million over current provision. Further funding
of £140 million will also be available as a central challenge
fund specifically for local authority waste and recycling. This
is in addition to funding for the new Waste and Resources Action
Programme.
17. The introduction of tradable local authority
permits to limit the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent
to landfill in England will work alongside the new statutory targets
for recycling and composting to encourage recovery of waste rather
than disposal.
18. The Government will also develop the
landfill tax credit scheme to help deliver an increase in recycling,
in the first instance by amending the regulations to allow funding
of community recycling and reuse projects. Community groups already
make a significant contribution to raising awareness and collecting
recyclable wastes. The Community Recycling Network is currently
the fourth largest provider of kerbside collection schemes in
England and Wales. Activities funded through the scheme could
include collection and sorting facilities for recyclable materials,
refurbishment, repair and renovation operations, waste exchanges
and composting sites.
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
19. All businesses and organisations have
a responsibility to use resources in the most sustainable way.
The Government is determined to show the way in respect of its
own consumption and procurement. A new pilot scheme will require
Government Departments to purchase certain products with recycled
content. Initially, the scheme will focus on paper products and
will roll out to other products if successful. The Buying Agency
has completed a report of progress to date. It found that recycled
paper is equal to primary paper in both price and quality. Government
Departments are now considering the necessary steps to put in
place the new obligation to buy recycled paper.
PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY
20. The Government is pursuing a number
of initiatives that encourage businesses to take responsibility
for recovering or recycling their waste, or for improving the
recycled-content of products. These comprise a mixture of statutory
measures and voluntary sectoral agreements. Producer responsibility
measures are increasing awareness of waste issues in the industrial
and commercial sectors, and encourage businesses to consider resource-use
at the product design stage.
21. Statutory producer responsibility for
packaging and packaging waste has already been introduced. The
Government has promoted voluntary action in other sectors including
batteries, end of life vehicles and electrical and electronic
goods where, at European level, Directives are being negotiated.
Some voluntary schemes are up and running—for example, take
back schemes for mobile phones and certain batteries—and
others are under discussion.
22. The packaging Regulations came into
force in 1997 and set targets for recovery and recycling of packaging
waste. Obligated businesses must recover and recycle packaging
waste—with 50 per cent to be recovered in the UK in 2001,
with at least half of that recycled. The Packaging Directive is
currently being reviewed and targets for 2006 are being considered.
23. In April 2000, the Government reached
agreement with the Newspaper Publishers Association on future
target levels of recycled content of newsprint. The newspaper
publishers have agreed to commit to the following targets: 60
per cent recycled content by the end of 2001; 65 per cent recycled
content by the end of 2003 and 70 per cent recycled content by
end of 2006, subject to review in 2001 and 2003.
24. The Department has been considering
how to approach a new producer responsibility initiative for junk
mail and will meet interested parties soon to discuss details.
25. European initiatives are planned on
end-of-life vehicles, waste electrical and electronic equipment
(WEEE), hazardous electrical and electronic equipment (HEEE) and
batteries. The proposed Directive on end-of-life vehicles has
been agreed by the Council and the European Parliament and is
likely to come into force in the next month, or shortly after.
It will set targets for re-use, recycling and recovery, and introduce
collection requirements and improved treatment standards.
26. Draft proposals from the Commission
on WEEE and HEEE are now under discussion and are concerned with
prevention, recovery and reuse, alongside improving the environmental
performance of all economic operators involved in the life-cycle
of electrical and electronic equipment. A proposal to replace
the Batteries and Accumulators Containing Certain Dangerous Substances
Directive is currently being considered within the Commission.
INFORMATION AND
AWARENESS
27. The "are you doing your bit?"
campaign has been successful in raising public awareness of environmental
issues, including waste and recycling. The Government will also
continue to support the National Waste Awareness Initiative, which
is being developed in partnership by local authorities, industry,
community groups and others. In addition, local campaigns, often
carried out by local authorities or community groups, will continue
to have significant impacts on attitudes and behaviour.
28. Before 2003, the Government expects
many local authorities will introduce kerbside collection of recyclables,
increase bring site provision, or initiate publicity campaigns
to increase participation in recycling and composting in order
to meet their new statutory duties. Such changes will help increase
awareness among the public, and are a powerful symbol of new priorities
in waste management.
29. The Government will continue to encourage
efficient resource use in industry and commerce. The Environment
Technology Best practice Programme increases awareness, and helps
companies to become more resource-efficient. The landfill tax,
IPPC and producer responsibility measures provide incentives for
companies to reassess resource-use, reassess design of processes
and products, and manage waste sustainably. The proposed producer
responsibility initiatives will impact on new sectors.
LIMITING LANDFILL
30. The UK has historically relied heavily
on landfill and it will continue to be the best method of managing
certain wastes. However, disposal to landfill often represents
a missed opportunity to recover value from waste, and the move
towards a more sustainable system will require a reduction in
waste sent to landfill. This is the basis of the EC landfill Directive,
which requires Member States to put in place a national strategy
for reducing the volume of biodegradable waste going to landfill
and sets specific reduction targets for biodegradable municipal
waste.
31. In England the Government proposes to
introduce tradable permits for local authorities to restrict the
amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled. Consultation
in the coming months will determine the detail of the new system
and legislation will be introduced to implement this system as
soon as the legislative programme allows. Other instruments, including
the packaging Regulations and the Landfill Tax will also limit
the amount of waste sent to landfill, including non-municipal
biodegradable waste.
32. The EC Landfill Directive also includes
restrictions on the landfill of certain types of waste, including
tyres, liquids and hazardous wastes.
33. Consultation papers on both the design
of the permit system and the Directive's technical requirements
will be published later this year.
BETTER MANAGEMENT
OF HAZARDOUS
WASTE
34. It is likely that the most significant
changes ever to affect the management of hazardous waste in the
UK will take place during the next decade.
35. The Landfill Directive will require
a radical shift in the way that hazardous waste is managed. Currently
about half of all the hazardous waste that is generated in the
UK is disposed of in landfill sites. However, between 2001 and
2009, a series of restrictions will be imposed on the landfilling
of hazardous wastes which will result in all flammable, corrosive,
infectious and oxidising wastes needing to be dealt with by alternative
techniques. Furthermore, the practice of co-disposing hazardous
wastes with non-hazardous wastes in the same landfill, which is
currently widespread in the UK, will not be permitted after 2004.
36. The Government welcomes the move to
more sustainable means of disposing of hazardous wastes. It also
recognises that the changes will present a major challenge to
both the waste industry and waste producers. They need to work
in partnership to ensure that wastes, particularly hazardous wastes,
are dealt with appropriately.
37. The Government is also examining the
possibility of making changes to domestic hazardous waste legislation
to encourage business to reduce the amount of hazardous waste
it produces. Expected Directives on end-of-life vehicles, batteries
and waste electrical and electronic goods will also make an important
contribution in this respect.
38. The Government will consider whether
to renew the current derogation from Excise Duty that applies
to waste mineral oil burned as fuel, when it expires in 2001.
In order to encourage oil regeneration, WRAP will develop a strategy
to improve the marketability of recycled oil.
DELIVERING THE
STRATEGY
39. The shift away from landfill to a more
sustainable system will require investment in new infrastructure,
including materials recovery facilities, compost plant, transfer
stations and energy from waste plant. This presents significant
business opportunities for the waste management industry.
40. Local planning authorities are responsible
for ensuring new facilities meet planning criteria and are sited
appropriately. As part of their waste management function, they
are also responsible for selecting management options for municipal
waste. The introduction of tradable permits for local authority
landfill, alongside new statutory recycling and composting standards,
sets legal parameters for local authority waste management. Investment
will be underpinned by the additional funding for local authority
waste management and recycling announced in July.
41. New legislation requiring increases
in local authority recycling and composting will go a long way
towards meeting UK obligations under the EC Landfill Directive.
The Government expects that some areas will also need to develop
increased energy from waste capacity. Energy from waste includes
processes other than waste incineration, for instance use as a
fuel in industrial applications. Newer technologies, such as anaerobic
digestion, pyrolysis and gasification may play a greater role
in waste management in future, if they are proved to be safe,
viable and competitive compared to other waste management options.
42. Unless it is properly planned, increased
energy from waste capacity has the potential to conflict with
achieving higher levels of recycling and composting. However,
some of the European countries with very high rates of incineration
have also been among the most successful in increasing recycling
over the last few decades. Different waste management options
can be integrated if local authority contracts for waste management
services recognise that recycling and composting will increase
over time. Statutory performance standards for local authority
recycling and composting will underpin any new contracts, ensuring
waste incinerators are appropriately sized. Flexible arrangements
may, for instance, provide for energy from waste plant to source
locally arising industrial and commercial waste in addition to
municipal waste.
43. Regional assessments of the need for
new waste management facilities will be carried out by the Regional
Technical Advisory Bodies, who advise Regional Planning Bodies.
The Government has issued land-use planning guidance on waste
planning in PPG10 and on regional planning in PPG11. As a basis
for regional planning, the Environment Agency will shortly publish
Strategic Waste Management Assessments, identifying the quantity
of waste arising in each region, and current waste management
capacity.
44. Adequate data on waste is necessary
in order to assess trends in waste and develop informed policy,
as the Committee highlighted in its previous report into Sustainable
Waste Management. Strategic Waste Management Assessments will
provide valuable information, as will the publication of the Environment
Agency's first survey of industrial and commercial waste. Provisional
results were made available in the strategy. The Government will
continue to work with the Agency to improve data.
45. The Environment Agency also has an important
role regulating waste management. The first five-yearly Management
and Policy Review of the Agency will take place this year. This
will provide an opportunity to look at the work of the Agency
and its functions, and whether they are carried out in the most
effective way. It will also look at key aspects of the Agency's
performance, and how it can be developed and improved.
46. Proper regulation and enforcement is
essential to delivering the waste strategy. All waste management
options are tightly regulated to protect human health and the
environment. For waste incineration processes, the new EC waste
incineration Directive will lead to further improvements in regulation.
Indeed, such is the "forcing" effect of the proposal,
that most large municipal incinerators in this country already
comply with its principal requirements. We have also written to
the Environment Agency asking them to consider the extent to which
the requirements of the proposal can be bettered on the basis
of the current Industrial Pollution Control system.
47. A monitoring group will be set up to
assess progress on implementing the strategy, and moving towards
a more sustainable waste management. The group will be sponsored
by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, and
will include representatives from the community sector, the waste
management industry, wider business and other interested bodies.
This is intended to be a 20-year strategy. A fundamental review
will be conducted by the Government in 2010, to reassess our goals,
and our progress towards meeting international obligations. There
will be smaller reviews conducted in 2005 and 2015.
48. The strategy sets out many measures
to achieve the Government's vision for sustainable resource use.
But it will also require action by householders, businesses and
local authorities. The instruments in the strategy will deliver
significant change in waste management in England and Wales. But
fundamental change will continue to demand closer co-operation
between sectors and sustained commitment by individuals.
September 2000
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