Memorandum submitted by the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Waste 45)
INTRODUCTION
DEFRA welcomes the opportunity to provide evidence
to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into
the Government's Waste Strategy for England 2007.
This evidence will summarise key elements of the
Waste Strategy and provide an update on significant progress in
delivery since its publication in May 2007.
1. SUMMARY OF
THE ENGLAND
WASTE STRATEGY
MESSAGES AND
OBJECTIVES
1.1 As a society, we are consuming natural
resources at an unsustainable rate. The most crucial threat is
from dangerous climate change. Each year, we generate about 100
million tonnes of waste from households, commerce and industry.
Most of this ends up in landfill where the biodegradable part
generates green house gases. Our goal is to move towards sustainable
living and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing waste is
an important contributor to this goal.
1.2 Government's aim is to reduce waste and improve
resource efficiency with measures to prevent waste, more re-use
and recycling of products and materials, more energy from waste
and less landfill. This approach is enshrined in the "waste
hierarchy" which prioritises waste management measures.
1.3 The Waste Strategy sets out five objectives
to help achieve its aims:
— decouple waste growth from economic
growth and put more emphasis on waste prevention, and re-use;
— meet and exceed the Landfill Directive
diversion targets for biodegradable municipal waste in 2010, 2013
and 2020;
— increase diversion from landfill
of non-municipal waste and secure better integration of treatment
for municipal and non-municipal waste;
— secure the investment in infrastructure
needed to divert waste from landfill and for the management of
hazardous waste; and
— get the most environmental benefit
from that investment, through increased recycling of resources
and recovery of energy from residual waste using a mix of technologies.
2. RECENT DATA
2.1 An analysis of the evidence base is
set out in the Waste Strategy. Summarised below are data about
waste outcomes that have been updated since the Strategy's publication.
Total Household Waste
2.2 Household waste is growing significantly
less than consumption expenditure, particularly in more recent
years.
Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme
2.3 The Environment Agency's annual report
this year on the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme estimates
that waste disposal authorities in England landfilled 11.6 million
tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) in 2006-07. This
is a reduction of 0.8 million tonnes from 2005-06 and 2.3 million
tonnes from 2004-05. Therefore England is now within 0.4 million
tonnes of the 2010 EU landfill directive target of 7.5 million
tonnes.
Residual household waste per head
2.4 There has been a continuous decrease in residual
household waste; in 2006-07 this decreased by 4.2% from 2005-06
to 17.9 million tonnes or 352kg per head.
Source: Defra municipal statistics, WasteDataFlow.
2.5 Targets for household waste after reuse,
recycling and composting are set at 310kg per head in 2010, 270kg
in 2015 and 225kg in 2020; reductions from 2000-01 of 32% to 2010,
40% to 2015 and 50% to 2020.
Household Waste Recycled
2.6 The proportion of household waste recycled
(including composting) has continued to increase, rising from
26.7% in 2005-06 to 30.9 per cent in 2006-07.
Source: Defra municipal statistics,
WasteDataFlow.
2.7 The England Waste Strategy 2007 set
targets for household recycling and composting at 40% in 2010,
45% in 2015 and 50% in 2020.
3. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
3.1 The Waste Strategy sets out the policies,
commitments and proposals by which Government will deliver our
objectives. The Strategy also flags up where we will give consideration
to furthering the scope of our ambitions.
3.2 This section updates the Committee on the
most important developments that have taken place since the publication
of the Strategy.
Waste Infrastructure
3.3 The Waste Strategy confirms Government's
commitment to using PFI to encourage a variety of energy recovery
technologies to increase the minimisation of waste through recycling
and to ensure unavoidable residual waste is treated in a way which
provides the greatest benefits to energy policy. The recent Comprehensive
Spending Review settlement has provided Defra with around £2
billion through PFI credits which will be available to help local
authorities invest more sustainable waste management options.
This will see a rise from £280 million in credits in 2007-08
to £600 million in 2008-09, £700 million in 2009-10
and £700 million in 2010-11.
Household Incentives for Waste Minimisation and
Recycling
3.4 Proposals for a small number of local authorities
to pilot incentive schemes for waste minimisation and recycling
were announced on 15 November 2007, with legislative proposals
included in the Climate Change Bill (also published 15 November).
A maximum of 5 local authorities will be allowed to pilot the
schemes. Councils will be able to come forward with their own
proposals for pilots to fit local circumstances. This approach
will allow us to monitor the impacts of the pilots and report
back to Parliament before a decision is made whether to roll them
out more widely. Schemes will be based on a rebate for households
producing least waste. Under some schemes those producing most
waste could be required to pay more. Rebates, and any charges,
may be integrated with the council tax system. We have established
requirements that local authorities must have a fly-tipping prevention
strategy and good recycling service in place before being authorised
to run a pilot scheme; and that they must take account of disadvantaged
groups in designing a scheme.
Regulation
3.5 Full implementation of the Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive started in July. Local
authorities in England are providing collection facilities for
this equipment and 40 industry schemes have been established to
enable producers to meet their obligations under the Directive.
3.6 New pre-treatment requirements for landfilled
waste came into effect on 30 October.
Packaging
3.7 The Waste Strategy included a proposal
to review the UK targets for recovery and recycling of packaging
waste. A formal consultation was launched on 11 October which
proposes increases for the published targets for 2008-10 and proposes
new targets for 2010-2012. These are higher than the EU minimum
target, both in order to reflect the UK's exclusion of small producers
from the obligation and as a signal that we expect continued increases
in levels of recycling.
Changing public behaviours
3.8 Detailed proposals have been launched for
consultation on the provision of recycling bins in public places.
Also WRAP launched their `Love Food, Hate Waste' campaign on 1st
November to raise public awareness and provide information on
what simple steps individuals can take to reduce their food waste.
3.9 The Waste Strategy 2007 set the Government's
objective to make free, single-use carrier bags a thing of the
past. The Prime Minister announced on 19 November that the Government
would convene a forum of the supermarkets, the British Retail
Consortium and other interested groups to urgently assess how
to eliminate single-use disposable bags altogether, and how quickly
this could be achieved.
Local Authority Performance
3.10 The new local authority performance
framework, announced on 9 October, will included 4 indicators
on waste closely aligned to the waste strategy—household
recycled waste, municipal waste to landfill and household recycling
and composting levels, and fly-tipping.
4. OTHER ACTIVITY
4.1 This section addresses in more detail
specific issues of interest to the Committee in the order set
out in your terms of reference.
Implementation of the Waste Strategy
4.2 The Waste Strategy will be delivered by all
parts of society sharing responsibility for waste. To drive implementation
the Government has established a Defra-led Waste Strategy Board
to provide leadership within and across government. To date the
board has already met twice and has recently appointed two non-executive
directors to broaden the composition of the board, bringing impartiality
and expertise to help drive policy.
4.3 To enable effective stakeholder engagement
the Government has also established a Waste Stakeholder Group
with membership drawn from across the waste sector. There has
been considerable interest from many different sectors in joining
the group and with over thirty organisations now representing
a wide range of stakeholders, Defra is confident the group can
add significant value to the delivery process by providing advice,
challenge and assistance.
4.4 Progress on delivering the strategy
is being assessed using national level indicators and progress
reported against the key outcomes and targets. The strategy is
being kept under review, using the developing evidence base to
evaluate and revise the policies set out within the strategy as
circumstances change.
The Role of Regulation
4.5 The Strategy provides a framework to
ensure waste regulation plays a proportionate and cost effective
role in encouraging resource efficiency by business and ensuring
sound environmental and public health protection.
4.6 Since publication of the Strategy:
— Illegal waste activity—Government
has worked with key stakeholders to consider a review of waste
controls—including the registration of waste carriers, the
duty of care and registration of waste brokers. A list of policy
proposals has been identified following the first stage consultation
and further policy development is currently taking place.
— Construction waste—A consultation
on the proposed introduction of mandatory site waste management
plans (SWMPs) for construction projects exceeding a certain size
took place from April to July 2007. 75% of respondents supported
statutory SWMPs. The intention is to bring regulations into force
in April 2008.
— Inert waste—In response to
the recommendations in Lord Davidson's review of the implementation
of EC legislation, Government has continued to work with the Environment
Agency and the industry on options for the regulation of inert
waste. We intend to publish a joint discussion paper on current
actions and possible proposals next month.
— Landfill—On 30 October 2007,
Government and the Environment Agency completed the implementation
of the pre-treatment requirement for non-hazardous waste and the
ban on the landfilling of non-hazardous liquid waste. Early feedback
from the Environment Agency indicates that the implementation
is proceeding smoothly.
— Possible future restrictions on landfilling—Work
has begun on considering the possibility of imposing further restrictions
on the landfilling of biodegradable and recyclable wastes. Any
decision on the need for and the nature of further restrictions
will be based on the evidence emanating from the analysis of the
seven priority waste materials identified in the Waste Strategy.
Government intends to consult on any further proposals in 2008.
— Better Waste Regulation—Exemptions
from waste permitting are a useful tool for the regulation of
low risk waste management activities. The exemptions review is
looking to update the exemptions provided in England and Wales
in order to regulate more proportionately, based on the risk posed
by activities. We will consult on proposals for new exemptions
in early 2008 with the aim to introduce revised legislation in
April 2009.
— The Revised Waste Framework Directive—Extensive
revisions to the EU Waste Framework Directive are currently under
negotiation. The Environment Council reached Political Agreement
on the proposal in June 2007. The Council's Common Position is
expected to be transmitted to the European Parliament at the end
of the year, so that the Parliament's Second Reading can take
place in March 2008. The proposed revisions to the Directive would,
amongst other things, require member states to put in place waste
prevention programmes setting out measures to break the link between
economic growth and the environmental impacts associated with
the generation of waste, and to develop benchmarks, targets or
indicators to monitor progress.
Definition Of Waste
4.7 Government will shortly issue a public
consultation on draft guidance on the interpretation of the definition
of waste. The definition's interpretation is now the subject of
a body of case law by the European Court of Justice. The guidance
will also fulfill the recommendations of the Davidson Review on
the implementation of EU legislation.
4.8 Government is also participating in the work,
led by the Environment Agency, on the preparation of protocols
to clarify the point at which specified waste streams have been
fully recovered and cease to be waste.
Financial Incentives
4.9 Proposals for introducing pilot schemes
for local authorities to introduce incentives for waste minimisation
were announced on 15 November 2007. More detailed is provided
above (para 3.4).
Composting
4.10 The composting of biodegradable municipal
wastes is playing, and will continue to play, a key role in reducing
the amount of municipal waste and diverting biodegradable municipal
wastes from landfill. The Waste Strategy set higher national household
recycling and composting targets to reach at least 50% by 2020.
4.11 The Waste and Resources Action Programme
(WRAP) is working to build composting capacity and develop sustainable
markets for quality compost. Together with the Environment Agency
it has produced a Quality Protocol for compost made from source
segregated biodegradable waste. This clarifies the point at which
compost has been fully recovered and has ceased to be waste for
the purposes of the Waste Framework Directive. This is a significant
development in opening up markets for this material.
Waste Prevention
4.12 The Waste Strategy notes the primacy
of waste prevention in the waste hierarchy, placing much more
emphasis on waste prevention than previous strategies. The focus
on waste prevention will be monitored through a new target to
reduce household residual waste per head by half by 2020 compared
with 2000.
4.13 A number of measures, both direct and indirect,
are set out in the Strategy to help drive waste prevention including
economic incentives, regulation and voluntary and awareness measures.
Several in both categories are sector-specific. In the category
of measures which directly target waste prevention are the proposed
new powers for local authorities for financial incentives for
household waste minimisation and recycling (para 3.3), site waste
management plans (para 4.6). Examples of other direct measures
are:
— A range of voluntary targets set
in the retail and food areas. The Courtauld commitment, for instance,
sets specific targets for reduction of retail packaging by 2010
and includes a commitment to identify ways to reduce food waste;
and the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy contains a target
of reducing the food manufacturing industry's waste by 15-20%
by 2010. The Waste Strategy also sets higher packaging recycling
targets for 2008 and beyond.
— Work funded by the BREW programme
to encourage waste minimisation among businesses and stimulate
re-use of products which would otherwise fall into the waste stream.
Many local authorities also have explicit waste prevention policies,
especially in relation to household waste.
4.14 Among the main ways in which Government
is indirectly targeting waste prevention are: through raising
the costs of landfill the landfill tax escalator; landfill regulation
including pre-treatment requirements; and the Landfill Allowance
Trading Scheme.
Waste and Climate Change
4.15 Current UK recycling levels save 18
million tonnes of CO2 each year, the equivalent of annual emissions
from 5 million cars, and waste treatment in England currently
reduces net greenhouse gas emissions by 7.2 million tonnes. However
landfill has a significant negative impact: landfill gas not captured
will generate about 11mt of CO2 equivalent emissions. The Waste
Strategy targets savings of at least 16.5 million tonnes CO2 equivalent
in 2020 These savings will be from waste diverted from landfill
to other treatments.
Anaerobic Digestion
4.16 Government wants to see greater use being
made of anaerobic digestion to treat agricultural and food wastes.
The Energy White Paper (May 2007) recognised the contribution
of anaerobic digestion to renewable energy generation, with the
accompanying consultation on reforming the Renewables Obligation
proposing a significant increase in support under a banded Obligation.
Anaerobic digestion has carbon and energy benefits and is particularly
cost-effective for separated food waste—one of the Strategy's
priority waste streams. It is also a viable means of mitigating
methane emissions from livestock manures.
4.17 Anaerobic digestion technology is being
supported by Defra's New Technologies Programme (for its application
to municipal food waste) and the Carbon Trust's InSource Energy,
which is working with the food industry. WRAP is currently trialling
separate food waste collections with 17 local authorities—key
to capturing suitable feedstock for plant—and continues
to support anaerobic digestion through its organics capital support
programme. The Environment Agency aims to have an operational
protocol for anaerobic digestate by Spring 2008, which will be
a crucial step towards opening up markets for this material.
Waste Infrastructure
4.18 The Waste Strategy recognises the capacity
of existing infrastructure is currently insufficient to meet Government's
targets. The Strategy aims to stimulate new investment in waste
treatment facilities that maximises the cost effective reduction
of greenhouse gases, and other environmental impacts, from residual
waste that cannot sensibly be recovered recycled or reused. Defra
has therefore developed the Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme
(WIDP) to support Local Authorities to deliver their chosen waste
management infrastructure solution—such as anaerobic digesters,
combined heat and power plants, and energy from waste facilities.
The support is comprehensive but does not dictate any particular
technology or financing solution. The recent CSR settlement has
provided Defra with a significant PFI allocation (£2 billion)
for waste management infrastructure, but WIDP support extends
to all major developments (whether PFI funded or not). It should
be stressed that the delivery of such infrastructure is in no
way intended to undermine the efforts being made to increase recycling.
4.19 In addition to the WIDP programme the Waste
Implementation Programme (WIP) is delivering the New Technologies
Demonstrator Programme (NTDP). The programme aims to demonstrate
innovative waste treatment technologies as possible alternatives
to landfill by assessing the economic, social and environmental
viability of each selected technology.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
November 2007
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