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Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) paper, (b) plastic, (c) glass, (d) aluminium and (e) steel waste was collected in London in 2004, broken down by borough; and how much of each material was recycled in 2004, broken down by borough. [10787]
Mr. Bradshaw:
Information on the amounts of material collected in the financial year 200304 is set out in the table. It is impossible to disaggregate aluminium
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and steel cans, so a figure for all cans is provided. It is also impossible to separate scrap metal from white goods (fridges, cookers etc).
An increasing amount of waste for recycling is collected as co-mingled materials where the weight of the individual materials is not known. Most co-mingled collections include paper, and many include paper, glass and cans. The individual figures for these materials, therefore, do not include tonnage of individual materials collected as co-mingled which is listed separately.
Defra does not measure the amount of waste actually recycled but the amount collected and sent for recycling by the local authorities, a small proportion of which is unfit for recycling and has to be disposed of.
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) waste minimisation and (b) recycling targets the Government have set for local authorities for each year to 2015. [14477]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Government set targets for England and Wales in Waste Strategy 2000 for the recycling and composting of household waste by 25 per cent. by 2005, 30 per cent. by 2010 and 33 per cent. by 2015.
Each local authority in England was set an individual statutory performance standard for the recycling and composting of household waste for the financial years 200304 and 200506. For the future, the Government are currently undertaking a review of recycling and composting targets in the light of local authorities' performance against their 200304 targets.
No targets have been set for waste minimisation. The review will also consider whether it is appropriate to introduce waste minimisation targets.
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department has in place (a) to reduce energy consumption, (b) to minimise waste and (c) to recycle waste; and whether these measures have been adopted by other central Government Departments and agencies. [14478]
Mr. Morley: The following energy and waste management measures are in place within Defra.
(a) We are working with the Carbon Trust on a Carbon Management Programme, which will identify the scope for significant savings in energy consumption and related carbon emissions. Energy consumption at all sites is continually monitored against benchmarks to drive down consumption and facilitate appropriate reaction to increases.
(b) Waste minimisation measures include raising awareness of the amount of waste generated (by waste stream) at individual sites to encourage local action for progressive reduction. Particular efforts are made to reduce paper waste by setting targets and campaigning for more efficient use of paper. Discussions also take place with suppliers to reduce packaging waste. By identifying the potential for re-using goods we divert them from the waste chain.
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(c) All Defra sites have facilities for separating waste streams for recycling.
Within Defra we are increasingly managing these issues at local level through site specific Environmental Management Systems, accredited to ISO 14001.
Similar measures have been adopted in other Government Departments and agencies. The Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate is the main vehicle for systematically assessing, reporting and improving Government performance in managing their own land and buildings sustainably. It sets cross-Government targets in all key operational areas including energy, waste and water. The Government are committed to reviewing the framework during 2005.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities charge for the separate collection of green waste. [14222]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested for England is not held centrally. Waste is a devolved function and the hon. Member may wish to write to the devolved Administrations.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of green waste collection and composting schemes on the levels of recycling of municipal waste; and how much municipal waste other than green waste was recycled in the last period for which figures are available. [14991]
Mr. Bradshaw: Figures are available for the amount of green waste collected for composting from households in England since 199697. Household waste constitutes about 90 per cent. of all municipal waste, and the vast majority of non-household municipal waste collected for recycling is rubble from construction and industry.
The amount of waste collected for recycling from households has increased from 1.6 million tonnes in
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199697 to 4.5 million tonnes in 200304. However, the amount of green waste collected for composting has increased from 0.3 million tonnes in 199697 to
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1.4 million tonnes in 200304. In 200304 about 30 per cent. of household waste collected for recycling was green waste compared to only 17 per cent. in 199697.
DEFRA will be publishing recycling data for 200304 as part of the Municipal Waste Management Survey to be launched on 1 August. The results of the survey will include information on the materials collected.
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