Memorandum submitted by National Industrial
Symbiosis Programme (NISP)
SUMMARY
1. The landfill tax is the key policy to
provide the incentives needed to business to reduce the waste
it produces, and limit its environmental impact. Investment of
revenues to support increased SCP have been shown to be successful
and a substantial increase in this tax together for support to
business to make necessary change will deliver further benefits.
2. The amount of waste still being sent
to landfill is alarming and greater increases in landfill tax
are needed to support market and business changes needed to reduce
its impact on the environment.
3. Government has already set in place strategies
supported by fiscal instruments to penalise landfill and energy
use. Although there is recognition of the problems of impending
water shortages more needs to be done to reduce water consumption
by business.
ABOUT NISP
4. The National Industrial Symbiosis Programme
(NISP) is an innovative business opportunity programme delivering
triple bottom line, environmental, economic and social benefits
across the UK. NISP's mission is to effect long term cultural
change in business.
5. As a holistic programme, NISP impacts
across the entire resource hierarchy, delivering environmental
benefits by encouraging the adoption of more ecological principals
through practical implementation of Industrial Symbiosis by business.
NISP has attracted international attention and is cited as an
exemplar programme of eco-innovation by the European Commission.
NISP's support has also been sought by the State of Illinois to
advise on setting up a similar programme in the USA.
6. NISP has diverted more than 1.13 million
tonnes of waste from landfill in the first 18 months of operation.
NISP has also reducing over 1.33 million tonnes of CO2 emissions,
saved over 1.89 million tonnes of virgin materials, reduced industrial
water use by over 1,133,347 tonnes, and eliminated more than 425,000
tonnes of hazardous waste.
7. Engaging industry from across the UK
the programme has generated more than £39 million in additional
industry sales, saving businesses up to £47 million and being
instrumental in securing private investment in reprocessing and
recycling facilities to the tune of £33 million.
8. All figures are independently and externally
verified and relate to actual achievements within the first 18
months. Many of these outcomes will have ongoing cumulative benefit
for years to come, and such persistence impact figures, available
upon request, include for example cost saving to industry of over
£145 million.
9. NISP views its remit as being central
to the Government's Strategy on Sustainable Consumption and Production
(SCP).
10. NISP has a Local Government Liaison
role and led the consortium that worked to found the Local Government
BREW Centre which encourages and disseminates best practice in
business waste management and infrastructure planning.
11. Peter Laybourn, is Director and creator
of NISP. He was originally inspired to create NISP after first
hearing from Andy Mangan at the US BCSD about by-product synergy
programmes operating in the Gulf of Mexico. At this time, he was
working as a sustainability consultant with Shell Exploration
and Production. After graduating from university in 1977 with
a degree in Economics and Ecology, Peter spent 18 years in the
aerospace manufacturing industry as contracts and commercial manager
at GEC Marconi, Smiths Industries and Meggitt Aviation & Marine.
After completing a second degree in environmental management,
he went on to work as environmental co-ordinator for a local authority,
where he helped to set up an Eco-Management and Audit Scheme and
an energy efficiency charity. Using his wealth of expertise, Peter
has also put together two widely recognised national educational
programmes—Energy Matters and Education for Sustainable
Development.
LANDFILL TAX
12. The experience of NISP suggests that
Landfill Tax is an effective environmental policy in achieving
its aim. The return of some portion of the tax through Treasury
via Defra BREW to UK Business and Industry has enabled NISP to
provide a world leading programme across the UK delivering significant
value for money to both business and Government.
13. We welcome the statement by the Government
that consideration will be given to the case for steeper increases
in the tax from 2008.
14. A continuation of investment in Defra
BREW funding derived from landfill tax would also enable greater
co-ordination of policy development and action by government.
15. Increasing the amount of landfill tax
will also result in the following:
— Strengthening the markets for
recycled materials by alerting business to possibilities of alternate
uses for those materials and resources currently discarded to
landfill.
— Encourage increased production
efficiencies.
— Encourage eco-innovation in
order to design out production and end of life wastes.
— Provide further social return
through job creation and retention.
— Act as a driver for investment
in new technologies.
— Act as a driver for UK business
to develop its global competitiveness in environmental technology
markets.
— Have beneficial impacts on other
environmental indicators such as greenhouse gases, water use,
pollution, hazardous wastes, use of virgin materials, water use
etc.
— Assist in knowledge transfer,
adoption of best available technologies and increase innovation
(a study by Birmingham University on 125 NISP case studies showed
that 75% included innovation, 50% involved best available practice
and 20% involved new research).
16. The Industrial Symbiosis approach has
already demonstrated the potential for a strong return on any
Government investment of landfill tax through Defra BREW in so
far that capital programme support is not required per se in order
to secure private investment. If business is given the right economic
signals and the opportunity to both identify and embrace innovative
solutions, it is able to find the capital.
17. We also expect, as a result of the Companies
Act 2006, to see business taking a greater interest and responsibility
for the environmental impact of their activities, through reporting
and increased director responsibility. Action by government in
respect of landfill tax would send a clear signal to business
and strengthen the impact of the Act.
MEETING THE
PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE
18. The Pre-Budget Report proposes that
there be greater flexibility in the land use planning system to
ensure that it contributes to economic growth while delivering
wider sustainable development goals. NISP believes that there
is a need to communicate that resource efficiency is an economic
growth sector supported by a planning framework to attract in
potential players.
19. In order to meet the aims and targets
proposed by the Government's Waste Strategy Review and the Landfill
Directive, new facilities will need to be built and new technology
encouraged. There needs to be an adequate infrastructure to help
businesses with all their reduction, recycling, reuse and re-manufacturing
ambitions. Effective strategic and spatial planning is critical
to enable the infrastructure to be built that will contribute
to SCP.
PROTECTING THE
ENVIRONMENT
20. The Government has said in the Report
that it is committed to the principles of sustainable development
but that economic growth need not be at the expense of the environment.
21. NISP has been able to demonstrate that
a cross sector, business opportunity approach to resource management
can deliver economic growth as well as environmental benefits.
We recognise that rising levels of waste together with water scarcity
and water quality are long-term challenges and welcomes the recognition
that businesses and government—both local and national as
well as individuals have a role to play in meeting the challenges.
Within its own activities, NISP helps businesses reduce the amount
of water they use. To date the emphasis by government has been
on energy and waste reduction, and on the reduction of water use
in homes.
22. We believe that there are further opportunities
to reduce water usage by business through wider adoption of the
Industrial Symbiosis approach, recognising the important role
that the approach will increasingly play in the more sustainable
management of natural resources.
January 2007
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