Letter from Biffa Waste Services Ltd to
local authorities who responded to the questionnaire dated 18
April 2001 23 August 2001
RE: REGULATION
2037/2000—FRIDGES
You kindly responded to our recent questionnaire
on the subject of fridges. By way of update I am enclosing a copy
of my letter to Dr Anna Stacey following a recent meeting facilitated
by the DTI involving DEFRA, the Environment Agency and interested
parties in the industry. There was no conclusion to this meeting—other
than that further discussions will be held in the very near future.
It seems highly probable, however, that you will shortly be receiving
communication from DEFRA advising that the EC regulations will
be applied. There is therefore a high probability that from
1 January 2002 fridges will cease to be handled through existing
car fragmentation plants and these are likely to be diverted towards
local authority civic amenity sites for disposal. If the regulations
are not enforced it is possible that the UK will be subject to
infraction proceedings from Europe and it would appear that this
would be politically unacceptable—particularly since the
fines would exceed the cost of compliance.
Attached to the letter is an appendix indicating
a range of possible pricing options. These are still being considered
by Government but in the time available it is more probable that
local authorities will be expected to bear some or all of the
cost burden. This replicates LA experience with abandoned cars
and other products—clearly there is a need for a wider debate
on how these costs can be dealt with differently in the long run—otherwise
the cost of environmental legislation simply ends up being borne
by central government. That apart, however, I wish to reaffirm
that when the position is clarified we are keen to move ahead
with investment in an appropriate technology to meet this problem.
Our letter provides indicative costings only and our understanding
is that DEFRA will be writing to you direct in the very near future
with recommendations on their agreed approach. Thereafter we would
very much appreciate the opportunity of tendering for your requirements—if
it is deemed that WDAs/WCAs will be the point of contact. The
appropriate lead contact from DEFRA at the 21 August meeting was
Chris Megainey and from the Environment Agency, Jeff Cooper.
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