Memorandum submitted by Sea & Water
(Waste 06)
INTRODUCTION
1. Sea & Water was set up in 2003 to
provide a representative voice for the inland waterways, short
sea and coastal shipping industry, and to promote water freight
as a viable alternative to the movement of freight on the UK's
roads. Sea & Water provides information to its members and
supporters, communicates the case for modal shift to other stakeholders,
highlighting its benefits to the environment, economy and society,
and addresses the barriers that prevent the greater take up of
water.
2. Sea & Water is funded by a grant from
the Department for Transport and annual subscriptions and sponsorship
from its supporters, who are mainly drawn from the water freight
industry in the UK.
3. Amongst the benefits of inland waterways and
short sea shipping is that by comparison to road transport it
is considerably less carbon intensive. Domestic water transport
emits 80% less carbon dioxide per tonne kilometre than road, and
also 35% less nitrogen oxide. Water also relives congestion: a
single 300 tonne barge takes up to fifteen lorries off the road.
4. These environmental benefits are of course
recognised by Government—as is, for example, demonstrated
by its support for Sea & Water. However, we are concerned
by how often transport issues, and particularly the benefits of
water freight, are not considered by Government departments other
than the DfT when formulating policy. We strongly urge Defra to
put that right in this case, and include concerns about freight
transportation in the Waste Strategy 2007.
5. We are therefore delighted to submit
evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
The focus of our evidence is Question 7 of the Committee's terms
of reference, relating to the potential for the waste strategy
to contribute to reducing the UK's contribution to climate change.
6. We would be very happy to amplify any
of the points we make here either in a supplementary memorandum
or in oral evidence to the Committee.
THE WASTE
STRATEGY 2007: NOT
LIVING UP
TO ITS
POTENTIAL
7. The Waste Strategy aims not only to address
the question of whether waste is recycled or brought to landfill,
but also the broader issue of how to alter patterns of production
and consumption. One key "proposal for action" is to
"target action on materials, products and sectors with
the greatest scope for improving environmental outcomes".
8. To this end, the Strategy recommends the following
measures:
— Retailers will have to source and
market products that are less wasteful;
— Consumers should be given more opportunity
to purchase products and services that generate less waste and
reduce environmental impacts.
9. However, another way of intervening in
the product-consumption-waste cycle is overlooked: freight transport.
Sea & Water strongly believes that producers, retailers and
consumers should devote more attention to the carbon emissions
resulting from transporting products in the first place. However,
in this submission we focus on the environmental impact of transporting
waste to recycling plants or to landfill.
10. The majority of waste in the UK is transported
to landfill or to recycling facilities by lorry, which is the
most polluting mode of freight transportation. For example, according
to a Report by the Mayor of London (2003), approximately 2.7 million
tonnes of waste were transported out of London in 2001-02. Of
this:
— 27% was transported by rail;
— 27% was transported by barge on the
Thames;
— The remainder was moved by road.
11. In paragraph 3 of this evidence we have
spelt out the environmental benefits of water freight when compared
to road transport. After all it is entirely possible that waste
transported by barge to landfill will emit less carbon over the
whole cycle than waste taken by lorry to a recycling facility.
Therefore, it is vitally important that the whole impact on greenhouse
gas emissions of dealing with each item of waste is considered,
and thus that waste transport is included in Strategy papers such
as this one.
WASTE STRATEGY
2007: CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
12. Sea & Water does not call for subsidies
for the water freight sector. However, given the goals set for
in the Waste Strategy 2007, to make waste management environmentally
friendly and sustainable, we believe that Government must ensure
that less carbon intensive transport modes for waste, such as
water freight, are encouraged.
13. The Strategy says that, to help UK climate
change goals to be met, the Government will intervene if voluntary
arrangements are judged insufficient to reduce waste and environmental
damage. We believe that there is a case for intervention to encourage
the transport of waste by the most environmentally sustainable
mode available.
14. Government could, for example, provide
further support for investment in infrastructure to make water
freight transportation a more viable and attractive option. It
could also promote short sea shipping as part of the proposed
campaigns for "awareness and action on reducing waste".
15. And if, as indicated in the Strategy,
retailers will have to source and market products that are less
wasteful, they should be encouraged to source and market products
that are transported from production points to retail outlets
and then on to waste management and disposal facilities
using modes of transportation that are more sustainable and environmentally-friendly,
such as water.
17. Furthermore, if consumers are to have
the opportunity to purchase products that generate less waste
and reduce environmental impacts, then they should be given information
about the transport mode on which their products have reached
the store, and by which they will go to recycling or to disposal.
One method of providing consumers with such information could
be through systems of environmental labelling.
Sea & Water
October 2007
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