APPENDIX: GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE HOUSE
OF LORDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE REPORT: WASTE REDUCTION
Introduction
The Government welcomes the Select Committee's report.
Our detailed response to specific recommendations is shown below.
The Committee's report has two key passages which
perhaps can be taken as summing up its approach:
- "Emotive topics such as local
rubbish collections and the availability of public recycling facilities
have already received much scrutiny, but despite the large amount
of attention paid to it, domestic waste actually only accounts
for about 9 per cent of the total waste stream in the UK. We have
therefore focussed our attention on ways in which waste in the
industrial, commercial and construction sectors could be reduced
and the impact of consumer choice in influencing these sectors"
(report, 1.3);
- "The Government must now send clear and
consistent signals to industry, consumers and local authorities
that waste reduction is a priority which requires a collaborative
approach" (report, abstract, final sentence).
In our England waste strategy published in 2007,
we have already emphasised three points in line with the Committee's
view, and in particular:
- That, while not reducing the attention
paid to household waste, we need to develop a much stronger focus,
compared with previous strategies, on business waste;
- That we need to address waste prevention more
strongly, at the top of the waste hierarchy, and where the carbon
and other environmental benefits from taking action, as well as
the cost savings, are likely to be greatest;
- That taking action on waste will require a collaborative
approach, involving a shared responsibility among all the key
players, inside and outside Government, with a multiplicity of
different kinds of action being needed.
We have also emphasised the need for waste to be
viewed as part of a wider approach to improving the environmental
performance of products and their supply chains. Our Progress
Report on Sustainable Products and Materials (July 2008) described
how we are taking this forward.
We have made good progress already and our focus
is now to continue to translate these priorities into practical
action, in a way which makes a difference on the ground.
Policy instruments are, of course, closely interconnected
in their effect, with measures aimed at one part of the waste
hierarchy, or at one group of players, often having strong impacts
on other areas of waste or other groups of people. For example,
measures aimed at household waste may well affect consumption
patterns, so influencing business decisions on the range of goods
on offer to purchasers. We are also strongly aware of the impacts
on waste of broader macro-economic trends, including changes in
commodity prices. A key further challenge is correctly to anticipate
and evaluate these wider and cross-cutting impacts.
We already have a wide array of measures and processes
to address the key issues above. Measures already in place include
the substantial increase in the landfill tax escalator announced
in 2007, a range of voluntary agreements on waste reduction and
recycling with different sectors of industry, detailed implementation
of several sector-specific EU waste directives, and EU agreement
on revisions to the Waste Framework Directive.
Measures to which we are giving further consideration
include: the possibility of landfill bans on specific waste streams;
stronger standards on public sector purchasing; using the resource
of the newly-established Centre of Expertise in Sustainable Procurement
within the Office of Government Commerce; new or enhanced consumer-facing
campaigns on environmental behaviour including waste reduction;
and new or strengthened sector-specific voluntary agreements.
As noted above, we expect all these to have an impact on waste
generation in addition to downstream impacts on waste disposal.
Full implementation of the measures noted above as
being under active consideration will make a significant contribution,
but more will be needed. In addition we are engaged in active
discussions with stakeholders about the broader direction we should
take in going further on commercial and industrial waste.
The responses below, as well as the remarks above,
deal mainly with the issues in England. Much of the action to
tackle resource efficiency and waste reduction are devolved matters;
so there will not be the same mix of measures in other parts of
the UK, even though the problems faced are not dissimilar.
Overall, therefore, the Committee have made a welcome
contribution to raising the prominence of these issues.
Detailed Response to Recommendations
Chapter 2—Waste in context
Data collection
Recommendation 1
We are not satisfied that the Government are giving
a high enough priority to the collection of data on waste. Targets
and policies to reduce waste are meaningless if they are not based
upon a thorough understanding of the waste streams involved. The
amalgamation of administrative data sources may cost less than
comprehensive surveys, but saving money in this way is a short-sighted
approach to tackling waste. We recommend that the Government arrange
for comprehensive surveys to collect data on the various waste
streams in the UK thus enabling the formation of an overall strategic
direction and policies. (Para 2.13)
The high priority we place on good evidence on waste
is reflected in the funding allocated to the Waste Data Strategy
and the Waste and Resource Evidence Programme (around £4m
per annum).
Administrative data sources have several advantages
over surveys. In particular, they provide timely and regular information
at a lower cost to the taxpayer, and minimising the burden on
businesses. In the case of waste, permitted waste facilities are
required to make regular returns to the Environment Agency on
the amounts of waste they manage and it makes sense to maximise
the use of this information. This provides us with some good data
now, for example on the waste to landfill, and we have excellent
data from local authorities on municipal waste through WasteDataFlow.
We are, however, aware that there are drawbacks with
data from the current administrative systems. Defra is actively
working with the Environment Agency and the waste industry to
improve and extend the data that is provided through administrative
returns. Since administrative data sources may not provide a single
solution to all policy needs for waste data, we are also working
with a range of delivery partners in the waste network to investigate
and develop other sources of information. For example, on commercial
and industrial waste policy, we are exploring how we can best
utilise the data collected by Defra and other Departments delivery
bodies, such as the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP),
Envirowise, the various Knowledge Transfer Networks, and other
stakeholders such as Regional Development Agencies, Regional Technical
Advisory Boards and Trade Associations. In the light of this further
examination, we will aim to reach a decision early in 2009 on
whether these means will provide data of sufficient quality and
coverage or whether, subject to the necessary resources being
available, we should carry out additional survey work on business
waste.
Chapter 3—Design, innovation and technology
Recommendation 2
Some businesses have begun to embrace sustainability
principles as part of their product design and development processes,
but large gaps in knowledge still exist. There is still confusion
amongst businesses regarding their environmental design obligations
and designers are often unable to provide solutions as they themselves
lack a clear source of guidance to provide clarification. The
Design Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for England
have begun to address the teaching of sustainability principles
but we are concerned that higher education institutions still
lack the appropriate knowledge and resources. We recommend that
the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform should
take the lead in working with the Design Council, the Higher Education
Funding Council for England, design schools, industry and the
relevant professional bodies to ensure that sustainability is
embedded into the design curriculum, teachers are given the correct
training and designers are educated about business requirements
and the cost of waste (Para 3.36)
The Government is taking action in all these areas,
at various levels of the education system.
Efforts are being made to embed sustainability in
a wide range of curricula. The new secondary curriculum has an
increased focus on sustainable development. Also sustainable development
is a compulsory part of the design and technology curriculum,
with links to all subjects. While universities are responsible
for their curricula, support is available from a range of bodies
to help universities develop teaching materials on sustainable
development.
The Government supports the work of the UK Design
Skills Alliance, established by the Design Council and the sector
skills council Creative & Cultural Skills, to coordinate delivery
of the industry's skills development plan, "High-Level Skills
for Higher Value". The aim is to embed sustainability across
the design curriculum and help to improve the teaching and content
of design courses in schools and Higher Education. In the case
of primary and secondary schools, a new Design Mark programme
will reward the teaching of sustainable design.
Designers are being educated in a number of ways
about business requirements and the cost of waste. For example,
the Design Council's Designing Demand programme for business is
helping to raise awareness of sustainable design practice amongst
designers and the work of the UK Design Skills Alliance will help
the design industry respond to changing demands from industry
by improving professional practice. Both Designing Demand and
the Design Skills Alliance featured in the Government's recent
Manufacturing Strategy.
Recommendation 3
At present there appears to be little to be gained
from regulating the design profession but whilst regulation is
not usually welcomed, this is something which the Government should
keep under review in the future to ensure that designers exhibit
consistent standards of competence. We recommend that the Design
Council should take a stronger lead in providing the necessary
guidance to designers on how to comply with the principles of
eco-design legislation. Designers must also be encouraged to work
beyond the minimal level of compliance and we support the use
of awards issued by professional bodies to acknowledge those who
push the boundaries of sustainable design (Para 3.37)
We agree that the Design Council has an important
role in providing necessary guidance, and are satisfied that the
Council is providing a strong lead.
Through its business support programme, "Designing
Demand", the Council is already helping to raise awareness
of sustainable design practice amongst designers. The programme's
network of design associates will undertake specific professional
development in this area, which will result in improved awareness
amongst designers of how to comply with eco-design legislation
and best practice, as well as improved sustainable design support
and improved awareness amongst SMEs of how to integrate eco-design
principles and exploit subsequent business opportunities. As part
of its professional development campaign for designers, the Design
Council is conducting research to examine the pressures designers
and clients face, to identify the support and tools they need
to design more sustainably and to harness the commercial, environmental
and social benefits of eco-design practice. A further example
of the Design Council providing leadership in this area is work
underway with the design community and partners to develop an
award scheme across design disciplines to inspire and reward best
sustainable design practice.
Recommendation 4
The research councils, knowledge transfer networks,
technology strategy board and market transformation programme
have recognised that in order to encourage true innovation and
waste reduction, multi-disciplinary research is required which
embraces designers, materials scientists, engineers and social
scientists. Good work is now being undertaken to promote innovation
and share knowledge, but we are concerned that recent cuts in
ring-fenced funding will undermine some of this vital research
and the transfer of existing knowledge. It is crucial that the
Government continue to provide adequate funding to support the
work of these organisations and that it also provides clear direction,
by the use of ring-fenced funding if necessary that research into
resource efficiency and novel processes must remain priorities.
(Para 3.46)
The Government agrees with the need for multi-disciplinary
research to encourage innovation and waste reduction. While much
innovation will happen without Government involvement, markets
do not function perfectly when considering the generation of ideas
and the high degree of uncertainty and coordination that typifies
the innovation process. Government therefore has a lead role in
influencing or supporting the environment for innovation.
The Government has delivered a major increase in
funding for research, such that by 2010/11 Government investment
in the research base via the Science Budget (including Research
Councils) will have risen to almost £4 billion per year.
The Technology Strategy Board will play an important
leadership role in stimulating business research and development
and innovation. The Technology Strategy Board, working with the
Regional Development Agencies and the Research Councils, will
jointly invest over £1 billion in the next three years.
The Technology Strategy Board's key application and
technology areas provide the framework for deciding where it should
invest its funding and support activities. Environmental sustainability,
including resource efficiency, waste and pollution management,
is one of its seven key application areas, while the key
technology areas include initiatives and interventions on core
technologies that are relevant to waste reduction, such as
high value manufacturing and advanced materials[1].
Various actions are underway to deliver the waste
reduction element of the environmental sustainability priority.
On 7 October, the Board launched a research and development competition
into sustainable materials and products. This will build on the
work that has already been funded by the Board, including various
competitions previously funded by the Business Resource Efficiency
and Waste (BREW) Programme. The Board will work closely with Defra
and relevant Knowledge Transfer Networks to share the resulting
learning from these and other waste reduction activities.
The Government considers that the current arrangements
afford sufficient priority to waste reduction, and ensure that
the necessary levels of funding are made available for projects
in this area. As discussed at recommendation 19, the Government
does not plan to reintroduce a ringfence around landfill tax revenue,
since this would constrain Defra's flexibility to deliver
in the most effective manner.
Chapter 4—Manufacturing, Construction and
the Impact of Downstream Factors
Recommendation 5
The ISO 14001 standard acts as a useful benchmark
to recognise businesses which implement sustainable practices
and we support the promotion of this standard to industry. We
are concerned that once this standard has been achieved, businesses
which do not recognise the costs of their waste may become complacent
if they no longer have any incentives to drive further improvement.
We recommend that the Department for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform should ensure this standard is promoted alongside
business education to enable industry to recognise the benefits
that can result from continual innovation and waste reduction
efforts. (Para 4.18)
Defra takes the lead, working closely with DIUS and
BERR, to encourage wider take up of environmental management systems
(EMS) and UKAS accredited certified standards (ISO 14001 and the
EU Regulation EMAS) to help organisations reduce their environmental
impacts including their waste streams. We do not consider that
businesses will become complacent, since in order to achieve EMAS,
organisations have to make a commitment to continuous improvement
of performance and report publicly to their stakeholders on their
progress on targets and objectives. Users of ISO 14001 must also
be able to demonstrate that the process of continuous improvement
is recurring and not a single event.
The Government is working to ensure that the standard
is promoted alongside other business support, in particular the
Regional Development Agency Business Link network. The Government
is working in partnership with industry, businesses and other
private sector bodies, including Government sponsored organisations,
to help raise awareness of the business benefits of ISO 14001,
and how to get the most out of independently accredited certification
to the standard. Defra also works closely with the Environment
Agency and supports their proposal to develop more incentives
for business by extending recognition of ISO 14001 to all their
regulatory regimes through the OPRA (Operator Performance and
Risk Appraisal) scheme.
Practical guidance has also been published on the
Business Link website on how to implement the international standard
ISO 14001. Defra has published a position statement[2]
which sets out the Department's policy recommendations to business
on the use of environmental management systems. The Department
has also developed a promotional strategy aimed at raising awareness
of the benefits of EMS standards and the value of Government approved
accreditation. The strategy is reviewed on an annual basis.
Recommendation 6
Detailed information on the lifetime impacts of products
is still lacking. The development of PAS 2050 is a step in the
right direction and we commend the government and industry for
recognising the need for simple, yet standardised, assessment
methodologies which businesses can apply. However, an assessment
of embodied greenhouse gases is not synonymous with a life-cycle
assessment. The Government, in conjunction with the industrial,
design and materials communities, should encourage the development
of simple methodologies to enable businesses to analyse the lifetime
implications, including the amount of waste generated, of the
materials, products or services they produce. Providing businesses
of varying size and character with these key tools is vital as
it will enable them to recognise the amount of waste they create
and will be the first step towards implementing change. (Para
4.19)
We welcome the Committee's acknowledgement that PAS
2050 is a useful step to assessing life cycle greenhouse gases
in goods and services. We are now building on this by working
with partners to encourage international consistency in this area.
While PAS 2050 is a single issue methodology (i.e. it focuses
on greenhouse gas emissions) it is based on the full life cycle
of a product or service, and is compatible with and draws upon
existing ISO standards. We have also developed guidance and case
studies to help implement PAS 2050, and are working with initiatives
such as Carbon Calculations over the Life cycle of Industrial
Activities (CCaLC) who are developing a sector specific toolkit
to assist in the implementation of assessing carbon footprints
of products.
There is already widespread interest in similar methodologies
in other areas of environmental significance, such as water. We
are considering what role Government could play in developing
or encouraging uptake of such methodologies over the next 6 months
to review what action may be needed.
Local authorities
Recommendation 7
Responsibility for the recycling and collection of
waste has been given to local authorities, not all of whom meet
the needs of businesses. Poor quality recycled material, a lack
of disposal facilities and a fragmented approach between local
authorities hinders the attempts of those businesses which are
striving to reduce their waste. In turn, local authorities are
hampered by weight-based targets and landfill allocations which
discourage them from supporting industry. Targets for local authorities
currently focus on decreasing the weight of domestic waste sent
to landfill but a more holistic approach to waste reduction is
required. We recommend that the Government should restructure
the waste targets and costs imposed upon local authorities to
allow them to address commercial and industrial waste by providing
the necessary support, disposal facilities and high quality materials
to businesses. (Para 4.34)
The Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme (LATS) was
launched in 2005 as a means of providing a cost effective way
of enabling England to meet its share of challenging UK weight
based targets set in the EU Landfill Directive. As such, the scheme
focuses local authorities on reducing the amount of biodegradable
municipal waste (BMW) going to landfill by weight.
LATS is a crucial scheme to ensure compliance with
the Landfill Directive targets and is working well. Local authorities
have responded by delivering significant reductions in the amount
of BMW entering landfill. Nevertheless, meeting the targets in
2010, 2013 and 2020 will be challenging. As also emphasised by
the Audit Commission in its report "Well disposed: responding
to the waste challenge" (September 2008), long term certainty
and stability within LATS are important in meeting this challenge,
and the Government has no plans to change the operation of the
scheme.
Therefore, rather than restructuring waste targets
and costs, the Government is putting in place support to encourage
local authorities to address commercial and industrial waste.
Defra funds the BREW Centre for Local Authorities, which is helping
to improve the service provided by local authorities to businesses
on trade waste recycling. The number of local authorities providing
a business waste recycling service is increasing. According to
the BREW Centre, there were 121 local authorities providing this
service in February 2008.
The Government will continue to work in this area
and through other initiatives discussed elsewhere in this response
to ensure that the amount of waste generated by the commercial
and industrial waste sector is reduced further.
Recommendation 8
It is extremely important that local authorities
co-ordinate the services they provide. Whilst joint waste authorities
will largely be concerned with the collection, treatment and disposal
of waste, we hope that their creation will lead to greater collaboration
between local authorities on all aspects of the waste hierarchy,
so that they can provide the consistent facilities and support
which businesses require in order to invest in long-term waste
reduction strategies and experience the economies of scale. (Para
4.35)
The Government agrees on the increased importance
of coordination between local authorities on waste services. Joint
Waste Authorities (JWAs) should help to modernise and improve
waste services through integration across the area, such that
economies of scale allow efficiencies to be delivered. The exact
nature of the waste management services to be delivered will be
for local waste authorities to decide upon, to meet local waste
management needs or circumstances. Integration of waste collection
and disposal services has the potential to create greater efficiencies
and lower burdens. JWAs should also enable waste management activities
to be sustainable; will assist local waste authorities in meeting
Landfill Directive obligations; and provide another partnership
model for them. There are a number of groups of authorities who
have formally expressed an interest in making a JWA proposal.
Legislation
Recommendation 9
Until recently, the legal framework has militated
against the re-use of particular waste streams and we are glad
that the need for clarification has been recognised. We welcome
the revision of the Waste Framework Directive and support the
inclusion of articles which specify conditions for by-products
and allow the development of quality criteria to clarify when
waste ceases to be waste. We hope that these will result in greater
exploitation of a wide range of resources. (Para 4.44)
As the Committee reports, the European Parliament
and the Council of Environment Ministers reached a Second Reading
agreement on the revised Waste Framework Directive (WFD); and
on 17 June 2008 the Parliament adopted amendments to give effect
to that agreement. On this basis, the revised WFD will include
Articles on by-products as non-waste and on end-of-waste criteria
for specified waste streams. The Government shares the Committee's
hope that these provisions will facilitate greater exploitation
of valuable resources.
Recommendation 10
With the development of quality protocols by the
Environment Agency and the Waste and Resources Action Programme,
the UK is in a good position to contribute effectively to the
development of end-of-waste criteria at the EU level and we urge
the Government to continue to work closely with the Commission
and other Member States to develop quality criteria as quickly
as possible. We recommend that the Government should urgently
provide clear information to UK businesses about the priority
sectors and waste streams that will be considered first and the
timeframe in which quality criteria will be developed for each
material. (Para 4.45)
The Government confirms its intention to continue
to work closely with the European Commission and other Member
States to ensure that end-of-waste criteria are developed as quickly
as possible. The responsibility for developing these criteria
rests with the European Commission. However, as amended by the
European Parliament, the revised Waste Framework Directive (WFD)
provides that end-of-waste criteria should be considered for at
least waste aggregates, paper, glass, metal, tyres and textiles.
The Government will continue to ensure that UK businesses and
other stakeholders are informed of developments on the revised
WFD, including the waste streams for which end-of-waste criteria
are to be developed and the timetable for their development.
Recommendation 11
Collective producer responsibility directives have
had limited success at encouraging sustainable design and often
result in small technical innovations which increase recycling
and comply with minimum standards, rather than fully embracing
the principles of sustainability. However, we acknowledge that
they do at least bring the subjects of sustainability and waste
reduction to the attention of business and so their basic principles
should be encouraged. We recognise that these directives must
be developed on an international basis and recommend that the
Government should work with the European Commission and EU Member
States to review the ways in which these directives are applied
so that they foster real innovation and encourage all businesses
to continually reduce their waste. (Para 4.62)
The Government agrees that collective producer responsibility
has had only limited success in encouraging sustainable design.
The committee's comments are particularly relevant to the Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive—Article
4 of this instructs Member States to encourage the design and
production of electrical and electronic equipment that will take
into account and facilitate dismantling and recovery, in particular
the reuse and recycling of WEEE, their components and materials.
In response, the Government has promoted better design to facilitate
the reuse, recovery and recycling of WEEE, for example, through
Envirowise, the Government-funded programme of free advice and
information to UK businesses. The European Commission is currently
reviewing all aspects of the WEEE Directive.
The Government will continue to work closely on this
issue with both the European Commission and other Member States
through the review and as a means to exchange good practice. The
UK is also encouraging the Commission to review the provisions
of the EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste, so that
Member States can take more effective enforcement action against
clear cases of excessive packaging.
Recommendation 12
We welcome a review of the implementation of the
Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and support
the establishment of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Advisory Board. Implementing individual producer responsibility
will be a long and complex process, but will be crucial in establishing
the direct responsibility necessary to encourage manufacturers
to reduce their waste. We recognise that individual producer responsibility
will be more appropriate for some products than others and it
is important that the Government continue to consult stakeholders
on the practicalities of such a system. Nevertheless, we believe
that the time has come for action and recommend that the UK Government
should take the lead in implementing true individual producer
responsibility and, at the very least, should introduce it for
those products for which industry requests it. (Para 4.63)
The Government acknowledges the fact that the establishment
of a system of individual producer responsibility (IPR) was an
aim of the original Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) Directive. Some parts of the industry continue to express
a desire to see such a system introduced as part of the transposition
of the Directive's requirements into UK legislation.
The Government supports the principles of IPR but
recognises the complexities of introducing such a system. The
Government welcomes the Committee's acknowledgement of some of
the challenges introducing IPR will bring. The Government accepts
that as historical WEEE (i.e., EEE produced before August 2005)
disappears from the system, the development of an effective and
cost efficient IPR system will become more important to the producer
community. BERR officials are continuing to work with all parts
of the industry and with the WEEE Advisory Body to explore options
for introducing IPR, including examining models adopted by other
Member States and other economies with a view to introducing such
a system at some point in the future.
Recommendation 13
The variety of waste regulations can conflict and
be difficult for businesses, hampering those attempting to implement
sustainable business solutions. We recommend that the Government
should continue to work with the European Commission to promote
an holistic approach during the development of new legislation,
to ensure that full consideration is given to the impacts of any
new legislation on the variety of sectors involved. It is vital
that the Government also provide adequate guidance to UK businesses
about how to comply with new regulations in conjunction with existing
ones. (Para 4.70)
The Government agrees with the need for continuing
efforts to achieve better quality regulation, including by working
closely with the European Commission. We encourage the simplification
of regulation wherever possible and the provision of tailored
and effective guidance. At EU level, the UK has successfully argued
for more—and better—Commission impact assessments,
stakeholder consultations, and proposals for reductions in administrative
burdens (currently reflected in an EU-wide target to reduce such
burdens by 25 per cent by 2012). The UK continues to develop and
update its cross-Government framework of good practice in better
regulation, including mandatory impact assessments of all policy
proposals, guidance on transposing EU legislation, and codes of
practice and associated guidance on consultation and regulatory
guidance.
We agree that good guidance on regulation is needed
because of its importance in improving compliance and reducing
the burden of regulation. The Better Regulation Executive has
recently published a Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation.
This provides "golden rules" for officials to follow
when providing guidance on legislation to ensure that businesses
can understand how to comply. Additionally, the Government has
commissioned an independent review by Sarah Anderson, a successful
businesswoman and founder of small businesses, to explore
the potential to give small businesses greater certainty that
they are compliant with the requirements of the law when they
have followed guidance. The review is due to report in November
2008.
NetRegs also provides free environmental guidance
for small and medium sized businesses in the UK. The guidance
helps businesses to comply with environmental law and protect
the environment. It can also help the businesses to save money
by showing them how to use their resources more effectively.[3]
Recommendation 14
Whilst we acknowledge that the cost of landfill must
be kept under constant review, we support the use of the landfill
tax escalator as a blunt instrument to divert waste from landfill
and hope that over time it will encourage businesses to embrace
true waste reduction strategies. (Para 4.71)
Landfill tax forms an important part of the Government's
waste strategy. By increasing the cost of landfill, the landfill
tax makes investments in alternative non-landfill treatments such
as recycling more economically viable.
The tax escalator has been successful, with the
quantities of active waste going to landfill reducing by 26 per
cent between 1997-98 and 2006-07 while the economy grew by 32
per cent. We fully expect that success to continue. Projections
are that by 2010 the escalator will be reducing the climate change
impact of landfill by the equivalent of 800,000 tonnes
of CO2 emissions per year. There will be further benefits through resources
saved by increased levels of recycling.
In Budget 2008, the Chancellor announced that the
Government expects the standard rate for active waste to continue
to increase beyond 2010-11. This announcement sends a signal to
the waste management sector, and waste producers to seek environmentally
friendly alternatives to landfill.
More investment in non-landfill treatments will lead
to fewer methane emissions from landfill and reductions in carbon
dioxide emissions as more recycled materials are used in production.
Further CO2 emissions should be saved as a result of the incentive
provided by higher landfill prices to reduce the amount of waste
produced by society.
Chapter 5—The Consumer Perspective
Consumption
Recommendation 15
There is widespread support for waste reduction and
the development of a more sustainable society. A strong campaign
to increase recycling has meant that the waste reduction message
has been overlooked and consumers are often ill-informed about
the environmental impacts of their products and the way they use
them. We recommend that the Government should continue to work
with the European Commission to examine the types of information
that should be included on eco-labels and promote the development
of ecolabels which are clear and easy for consumers to understand,
but we are not convinced that the use of eco-labels alone will
be enough to change consumer behaviour. (Para 5.21)
The Government agrees that environmental labelling
can be helpful in guiding consumer behaviour, but that on its
own it is insufficient to change behaviour. We believe that a
necessary first step is helping businesses to assess the impacts
of their products and to allow the benchmarking of products' environmental
performance. This can be achieved through the development of standards
and methodological tools, supported by Government. This approach
enables the supply chain to improve the management of the products
offered to consumers.
Labels and other marketing can then be used to promote
consumer awareness and interest in the better-performing products.
This is the approach that Defra is taking. Therefore, in addition
to developing standards and methodologies, Defra is seeking opportunities
to raise the quality of environmental labelling and other consumer
information placed on the market. For example, Defra is involved
in the reform of the EU ecolabel and is reviewing the national
code of practice on "green claims" to ensure it is relevant
to new developments in the market.
Recommendation 16
Following the successful drive to improve the energy
efficiency of products, we believe that a similar strategy should
be employed to encourage the purchase of more sustainable products
which produce less waste. We recommend that the Government should
encourage change by continuing to work with retailers to promote
choice editing on the grounds of waste reduction. The use of voluntary
sectoral agreements will be a useful strategy to encourage retailers
to adopt this concept initially but, once established, we believe
that consumer demand for the most sustainable products should
drive businesses to stock products which achieve ever greater
sustainability. (Para 5.22)
The Progress Report on Sustainable Products and Materials,
published on 10 July 2008[4],
sets out our overall approach to improving product sustainability.
This report:
- gives a summary of progress by
Defra's Sustainable Products and Materials Unit since it was set
up in 2007, as well as progress by many others in Government and
business;
- sets out a vision for future work on making products
more sustainable; and
- encourages further debate and discussion on how
this can be achieved.
A range of actions need to be taken by Government,
business and consumers to drive changes across product lifecycles.
Our overall approach to product interventions is
summarised in the chart below. Within any product group, and at
any point in time, there is likely to be a range of products on
the market with varying degrees of sustainability. Most products
are somewhere in the middle of the range, with a few more sustainable
than average and a few less sustainable than average. The range
of product interventions has to include action across the whole
sustainability range to:
- Drive the development of new products
that are more sustainable than all of the current options;
- Move the market average towards the most sustainable
of what is available; and
- Cut out the least sustainable products.
The aim of the whole range of product interventions
is to encourage the whole market to become more sustainable over
time—i.e., to move the product distribution curve towards
the right-hand end of the chart below.
Within this range of interventions, voluntary action
by businesses, and action to influence consumer demand (including
public information and labelling), can help drive the existing
market towards greater sustainability.
We agree that consumer pressure for improvement helps
to drive product development and manufacture, and influence procurement
by retailers, but at present it is far from sufficient on its
own. Certainly the aim for product policy is to encourage a cycle
of consumer interest and support which rewards improvements in
the supply chain and drives competition for continuous improvement.
But we envisage needing a wider range of product related interventions
alongside consumer pressure for some time to come.
Recommendation 17
We recognise that addressing the multitude of practical
and psychological issues which influence consumer behaviour is
a complex and difficult task, but businesses are well placed to
implement measures which encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable
behaviours. Waste could be reduced if consumers were encouraged
to retain products for longer and repair them when necessary,
but this is usually an uncompetitive strategy and businesses cannot
be expected to promote something which leads to a reduction in
profits. Business models must therefore be developed which are
both sustainable and profitable. Such strategies might include
the production of modular products which can be continually added
to and upgraded, or schemes that reward customers for recycling
but which also foster brand loyalty. If repair work is to be encouraged,
changes to the Value Added Tax regime may be required. We therefore
recommend that the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory
Reform should work with retailers and academia to promote the
use of sustainable business models and must review the range of
policies and incentives required to accelerate their implementation.
(Para 5.30)
The Government is committed to building a low carbon
economy and recognises the important role of new and innovative
business models in achieving that end.
The Government has a particular role in creating
the conditions that allow innovation to flourish by removing barriers
and other disincentives. BERR, jointly with DIUS, published "Supporting
innovation in Services"[5]
on 28 August 2008, a report into what is driving innovation in
service sectors, the barriers to innovation and the role of Government
in improving the environment for innovation in services. This
work confirmed growing recognition that sustainability and the
environment are drivers of change impacting upon a wide range
of service sectors and offer new opportunities. The report includes
an action plan for follow up by Government in a number of areas.
BERR will work more closely with Defra and the Technology Strategy
Board to pull together more strongly policy delivery in the sphere
of waste and resource management, including, where appropriate,
promoting new sustainable business models. An action plan for
this is being devised this autumn. As part of this follow up,
it is envisaged that the Knowledge Transfer Networks of the Technology
Strategy Board should work much more closely on this agenda with
existing delivery agencies such as the Waste Resource Action Programme
(WRAP) and with other business networks to promote this agenda.
There may also be the opportunity to link this more strongly with
the front-line business support mechanisms of the Manufacturing
Advisory Service and the Business Link network and to enhance
their capabilities to deliver practical advice and tools for businesses
to use in relation to their waste and resource efficiency.
On repairs, the Principal VAT Directive (2006/112/EC)
does not currently permit the UK to apply a reduced VAT rate to
repairs of household items. However, the European Commission proposed
some changes to the Directive in July 2008, which, if agreed by
Member States, could open up this possibility for Member States.
If this proposed change is agreed, the Government will consider
whether there is a policy case to introduce any new reduced rates
in the UK. Where reduced VAT rates are currently available, the
Government has, to date, only applied them where they provide
the best-targeted and most cost-effective support for our social
objectives when compared to other policy instruments.
Recommendation 18
We endorse the message of the Sustainable Consumption
Roundtable's report, I will if you will, that in order
to reduce consumption, a joint effort from government, businesses
and consumers is required. Whilst the Government's Framework
for Pro-Environmental Behaviours outlines a good approach
to address consumer behaviour we urge the Government to follow
this up by using its approach to reduce the wastage of a wider
range of products, rather than just food. (Para 5.35)
In order to reduce the environmental impacts of consumption,
a wide range of actions will be needed across a variety of stakeholders.
The Behaviours Framework and its supporting evidence base are
addressing a wide range of products. In our Waste Strategy 2007,
and in subsequent action, we are clear that waste prevention by
consumers must go much wider than just food. For that reason,
the Waste Strategy introduced a national target for residual household
reduction embracing all kinds of household waste. This approach
has subsequently been followed, with strong Government encouragement,
by all those local authorities who have included a residual waste
reduction target in Local Area Agreements. The Government will
be closely monitoring the performance of all local authorities
on household residual waste reduction.
Local authorities have a range of measures available
to them to promote household waste reduction especially through
their collection policies; and the Government is expanding that
available range through the new powers being introduced in the
Climate Change Bill, which will allow for pilots of household
waste incentive schemes and for subsequent roll out if the pilots
are successful.
In relation to specific product areas, we are also
looking to reduce the amount of household waste generated through
voluntary measures by producers and retailers. For example, our
clothing roadmap (published in January 2008) includes key areas
for collaboration with stakeholders of maximising reuse, recycling
and end-of-life waste management. An important aim is to improve
on the current rate of reuse and recycling of end-of-life clothing,
which currently stands at around 13%. An increasing number of
high street retailers are operating clothing take back schemes,
and we are studying further opportunities for action. A study
that we have commissioned, which is due to report in March 2009,
should help us decide on next steps.
Chapter 6—Waste reduction as a business
opportunity
Business support
Recommendation 19
Businesses which implement new and innovative solutions
to reduce waste tend to experience significant cost savings and
awareness of such strategies is beginning to increase. However,
many businesses still fail to recognise the financial costs of
their waste and even where waste reduction strategies are known,
an understanding of how to implement them is lacking. It is vital
that business support bodies should continue to provide direct,
tailored guidance to businesses, especially to help small- and
medium-sized enterprises overcome the challenges they face. We
are therefore extremely disappointed by the decision to reduce
funding for some of the major business support bodies, including
Envirowise, the Market Transformation Programme, the National
Industrial Symbiosis Programme and the Waste and Resources Action
Programme, and we are at a loss to understand the Government's
reasoning. Discontinuation of the Business Resource Efficiency
and Waste programme and funding cuts will only serve to reduce
the services that business support bodies and local authorities
can offer. Hitherto, hypothecation of a proportion of the landfill
tax has sent a strong signal to industry that waste must be reduced,
and ending this arrangement will undermine the Government's pledge
to tackle commercial, industrial and construction waste. We recommend
that the Government should once again ring-fence a proportion
of the landfill tax revenue to fund waste reduction initiatives,
thus providing businesses with both the carrot, and justification
for the stick, in order to encourage change. (Para 6.35)
The Government agrees with the Committee that awareness
of waste reduction strategies is increasing amongst businesses.
We judge that this reflects a growing understanding amongst the
business community of the economic and environmental case for
waste reduction.
Defra's delivery bodies have delivered major environmental
benefits and substantial cost savings for businesses. However,
given the change in business attitudes referred to above, we have
decided to refocus the support that we provide through our delivery
bodies. From the current financial year onwards, support will
concentrate on providing the necessary evidence to encourage businesses
to change their behaviour, rather than supporting individual businesses
for projects where the benefits come quickly through to the company
bottom line. This move—to concentrate on developing the
evidence base for improving businesses' resource efficiency—is
in line with Defra's wider strategy towards catalysing behaviour
change for a low carbon Britain.
This more selective approach to funding has inevitably
led to a lowering of receipts for the delivery bodies to which
the Committee refers. However, Defra is continuing to provide
significant levels of funding in this area, and we are as committed
as ever to tackling commercial, industrial and construction waste.
We are convinced that we are taking the right approach: continuing
as before would have meant that we would have only been able to
target a small proportion of businesses. As we change our focus,
we are seeking that our delivery bodies apply their wealth of
knowledge experience to develop even more effective means of engaging
businesses.
The Government does not agree that removing hypothecation
of a proportion of the landfill tax undermines our commitment
to tackling commercial, industrial and construction waste. Funding
ringfences are being loosened across Government Departments, in
order to provide maximum flexibility to prioritise and deliver
value for money. Ringfences are always re-examined through
the spending review process, with a general presumption against
their retention. We do not plan to reinstate a ringfence around
landfill tax revenue, since this would limit Defra's ability to
deliver the range of its objectives.
Decisions on taxation and spending should also be
viewed in the context of wider Government policies introduced
to benefit business, including the business tax reform and deregulation
agendas, and the Business Support Simplification Programme.
Recommendation 20
We recognise that the vast range of business support
bodies is confusing for businesses and support the Government's
Business Support Simplification Programme. Nevertheless, we are
not satisfied that Business Link advisers are appropriately qualified
to advise on resource efficiency. We recommend that the Government
urgently provide further training for these advisers, especially
in the field of waste reduction, and a system should be developed
to monitor the quality of advice provided. As many businesses
approach local authorities for assistance, local authorities must
also ensure that their advisers recognise the need to refer businesses
to Business Link for more detailed advice. (Para 6.36)
The Government recognises the need to build the capacity
and capability of Business Link (including information, tools,
customer services and advisers). Defra is working with Regional
Development Agencies (RDAs) to enhance the knowledge and understanding
of all Business Link customer facing staff working on waste and
resource efficiency. This will include helping advisers to identify
and deal with issues in these areas, and how best to broker business
customers to appropriate advice and support.
Defra, BERR and the RDAs are also working together
to ensure the proactive development of core national content on
the national Business Link website, including the development
of specific information and interactive tools.
Systems already exist to monitor the quality of Business
Link advice. A customer satisfaction survey which provides the
primary means of assessing quality of interaction with the customer.
In time, it will enable the identification of businesses that
receive resource efficiency support. This is complemented by regional
monitoring and evaluation arrangements of the Business Link service.
Periodic national research and evaluation arrangements will also
be carried out as required.
Wider efforts on Business Support Simplification
include activity to ensure that local authority advisers recognise
the need to refer businesses to Business Link for more detailed
advice. BERR will work closely with Defra, the RDAs and local
authorities to ensure appropriate cross referrals are made.
Recommendation 21
There is scope for waste prevention to be integrated
into sustainable business models but the implementation of such
strategies will take time. The success of sustainable business
models depends upon the size and structure of the business, the
take-back and recycling infrastructure, the current market value
of products and consumer perceptions. Evidence supporting these
strategies is scant but growing so we recommend that the Department
for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, along with business
support agencies and industry, should continue to monitor such
business models, assessing the barriers which inhibit their adoption
and reviewing the range of policies and incentives that might
be required to encourage their implementation. (Para 6.47)
BERR looks to keep abreast of the development of
new sustainable business models. The Department recently undertook
a project on innovation in the service economy, which analysed
key innovations in five diverse service sectors (retail, logistics,
internet delivered content services, construction and environmental
services). As discussed at recommendation 17, the project identified,
with the help of business participants, key service innovations
in these sectors; the drivers of these; the barriers faced; and
considered the roles Government might play in tackling those barriers.
Its final report includes an action plan for follow up. The project's
synthesis report, "Supporting innovation in Services"[6],
together with its supporting sectoral research, was published
on 28 August 2008. The project identified considerations of sustainability
as an important driver of change across business, and it reflected
the part that innovative services can play in transition towards
a more resource efficient economy. The project considered innovation
in sustainable business models, for example, in recycling services
and in remanufacture, where there are growing opportunities for
business, both in services and otherwise, and new business models
being developed[7].
The project's discussions with businesses active
in providing waste and resource management services showed recognition
that a number of Government support bodies are already active
in supporting waste minimisation and resource efficiency, including
the development of waste reduction business models. There was
also a call for Government to coordinate these initiatives more
strongly in support of the policy objective of bringing about
transformational change in the way that businesses manage their
resource use.
Therefore BERR will work more closely with Defra
and the Technology Strategy Board to pull together stronger policy
delivery in the sphere of waste and resource management. An action
plan for this is being devised this autumn. This will advance
the implementation of the Government response to the Commission
on Environmental Markets and Economic Performance (CEMEP) and
reflect the recognition in the recent BERR/DIUS Manufacturing
Strategy Review of the importance of resource efficiency to the
broad range of manufacturers in the light of rises in global resource
prices and likely future constraints on their availability.
As part of this follow up, it is envisaged that the
Knowledge Transfer Networks of the Technology Strategy Board should
work much more closely on this agenda with existing delivery agencies
such as the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP).
For example, the Environmental Knowledge Transfer
Network (KTN) has recently produced a report giving recommendations
for conserving 60 scarce strategic natural resources[8],
and has reported on the potential for recovering more energy from
the waste resources that cannot be effectively recycled[9].
Meanwhile WRAP is supporting work in a number of areas including
working directly with industry to promote closed-loop recycling
for packaging.[10] There
is also the opportunity to support dissemination of good practice
for example with case studies and diagnostic tools for businesses,
through stronger integration of these and other business networks.
There may also be also the chance to strengthen further the capabilities
of the front-line business support mechanisms of the Manufacturing
Advisory Service and the Business Link Networks to deliver practical
advice and tools for businesses to use in relation to their waste
and resource efficiency. These options are being investigated.
Chapter 7—Taking the lead
Sustainability In Government
Recommendation 22
It is vital that government departments lead by example
in reducing their own waste. Although pan-governmental performance
on waste reduction has been good, some departments still lag behind
and we are concerned that targets are not challenging enough.
Departmental performance on sustainable procurement has been disappointing
and procurement staff often fail to recognise the lifetime cost
of products. We welcome the establishment of the Centre of Expertise
for Sustainable Procurement and recommend that it should urgently
review the knowledge of procurement staff, providing training
where necessary, to ensure that staff recognise the true costs
of the products they buy and understand how the principles of
waste reduction fit into the larger aims of sustainability. (Para
7.10)
The Government recognises the importance of showing
leadership in sustainable operations, including in the area of
waste reduction. The Sustainable Operations on the Government
Estate (SOGE) framework established targets for Government, including
to reduce waste arisings by 5 per cent by 2010 and 25 per cent
by 2020, relative to 2004-05 levels. The framework also established
targets for recycling, to be 40 per cent of waste arisings by
2010 and 75 per cent by 2020.
The Government published a Delivery Plan for sustainable
operations and procurement in August 2008, and included delivery
trajectories for each department against each of the SOGE targets.
These trajectories show that Government is expected to exceed
both the waste and recycling targets.
The Centre of Expertise in Sustainable Procurement
(CESP) will work with departments to ensure the implementation
of the Delivery Plan.
We share the Committee's concern that we need to
have robust targets and a key commitment of the delivery plan
was to review the SOGE framework of targets, which contains the
commitment to reduce waste arisings by 5 per cent by 2010. A programme
of work to deliver this commitment has been established by CESP
and Defra. This review is expected to report by the end of this
year.
The Delivery Plan also included a commitment for
the CESP to work with departments to assess current capabilities
in sustainable procurement and operations, including issues of
whole life costing in procurement, and to develop a capability
and training strategy. This work is expected to be completed during
2008-09, and will take account of the need to consider all aspects
of procurement, including reducing waste and considering end of
life disposal.
Recommendation 23
We support the Government's attempts to increase
opportunities for small businesses to compete for procurement
contracts and hope that their work will lead to a greater understanding
and removal of the barriers which currently prevent this. (Para
7.11)
Budget 2008 announced that the Government would set
up an advisory committee, chaired by Anne Glover (Chief Executive
of Amadeus Capital Partners Limited). The committee will provide
advice for the 2008 pre-budget report (PBR) on necessary Government
action to reduce the barriers to SMEs competing for public sector
contracts, within the scope of EU law and the policy objective
of value for money, and advise on the practicality of setting
a goal for SMEs to win 30% of all public sector business in the
next five years.
Government policy is to encourage and support SMEs
to compete for public sector contracts where this is consistent
with the obligations on public procurers to seek value for money
and to comply with EU Treaty principles and the EU procurement
directives. OGC's newly launched Procurement Policy and Standards
Framework (PPSF) provides further information and is accessible
through the OGC website. In collaboration with the Small Business
Service, OGC has published a guide, "Smaller Supplier…Better
Value?", to raise awareness amongst public procurement officials
on the value for money which SMEs can offer.
Following a recommendation in the Better Regulation
Task Force/Small Business Council report, "Government: Supporter
and Customer?" in 2003, the Government undertook work on
opening up the supply chain and identifying how SMEs could access
sub-contracting opportunities. Detailed research into what constitutes
good supply chain management practice formed the basis for a guide
to Supply Chain Management in Public Sector Procurement and a
further supporting tool, the Supply Chain Wizard. The OGC has
also worked with a sample of central Government's larger suppliers
to identify how SMEs could access subcontracting opportunities.
The issues are addressed in the OGC publication, "Working
Through Larger Suppliers".
Working with industry
Recommendation 24
We welcome the fact that waste prevention has been
recognised as an important strand within the Government's Waste
Strategy, but this approach must be backed up with the appropriate
policies. Progress is being made in tackling domestic waste, but
this accounts for a relatively small proportion of all waste in
the UK and more attention must now be paid to other waste streams.
The Government should continue to work with stakeholders to ensure
that policies are set appropriately, but the Government should
now also take the lead in developing a strategy to reduce industrial
and commercial waste. We welcome the revision of the Waste Framework
Directive which we hope will contribute towards a more efficient
use of resources and reiterate the importance of Government working
with other EU Member States to ensure that the directive's provisions
are implemented as quickly as possible. (Para 7.39)
The Government agrees with this recommendation and
on the importance of reducing the amount of waste generated by
the commercial and industrial waste sector. Waste Strategy 2007
has already made it clear that this is a priority; and the decision
in 2007 substantially to increase the landfill tax escalator was
aimed at reducing all kinds of waste, especially waste that would
otherwise be likely to go to landfill, as well as encouraging
its diversion.
Since Waste Strategy 2007 was published, we have
also been engaging with key waste stakeholders on priorities for
commercial and industrial waste reduction. Following further consultation
with stakeholders, we are aiming to publish a further statement
of our strategic aims on commercial and industrial waste, including
waste reduction, in the New Year.
The Government's Sustainable Construction Strategy
published in June 2008 established a shared Government-industry
target to halve the tonnage of construction, demolition and excavation
(CD&E) waste going to landfill by 2012. The Strategy included
a range of actions which will contribute to meeting this target.
The introduction from April 2008 of a requirement for all construction
projects in England costing over £300,000 to have a Site
Waste Management Plan will encourage the minimisation and better
management of CD&E waste. Our strategic review of packaging
policy, called for by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit's July
2008 Food Matters report,[11]
will embrace the need to reduce packaging in the commercial and
industrial as well as domestic sectors. The Government confirms
its intention to continue to work closely with the European Commission
and other Member States to ensure that end-of-waste criteria are
developed as quickly as possible.
We are also working closely with the food manufacturing
sector and retailers to achieve reductions in food waste during
production, and have also begun discussions with the Food Processing
Knowledge Transfer Network.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP),
the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) and other delivery
bodies are also aiming to achieve significant amounts of commercial
waste reduction through work in specific sectors. For example,
in 2008/9 NISP is looking to achieve cost savings to business
of £5m and increase sales for businesses of £5m per
year. NISP aims to to deliver 750 ktonnes of diversion from landfill,
carbon savings of 750 ktonnes, raw material savings of 750 ktonnes
and hazardous waste savings of 5 ktonnes. WRAP has a target to
divert 8 million tonnes of material from municipal, industrial
and commercial waste streams by 2011. WRAP plans to achieve this
by working with business sectors, notably food and retail to reduce
and recycle packaging and food waste. For example, with WRAP's
involvement, over 30 major retailers, brands and suppliers have
joined the Courtauld Commitment to reduce packaging waste.
Recommendation 25
Following their campaign to promote re-use and recycling,
the Government must now provide clear and consistent signals that
waste reduction is a priority. Businesses will not invest in sustainable
practices unless they are confident of the Government's long-term
policies, and consumers will not change behaviours without education
or incentives. In order to engage, enable and encourage businesses
and consumers to embrace waste reduction, it is crucial that work
is undertaken on a whole supply chain basis, examining the impacts
of products throughout their lifetime. We endorse the use of the
product roadmap approach which tackles particular products or
waste streams by working with all the relevant players, including
manufacturers, retailers and consumers. We hope that the Government
will use these roadmaps to provide industry and the general public
with clear guidance on the direction they are taking. (Para 7.40)
The Government has emphasised that waste prevention
is a priority through its place at the top of the waste hierarchy
in Waste Strategy 2007. We are increasingly focusing on waste
prevention in the further development of policies, for example
through the new national target for residual household waste reduction
included in our Waste Strategy, in our current review of packaging
policies and in public campaigning activities. The "Love
Food Hate Waste" campaign has led to an annual reduction
in food waste of 110,000 tonnes since its launch last year. In
the household sector the annual rate of waste growth has already
reduced in recent years; and we are undertaking further research
to establish more clearly the underlying reasons for this.
We agree with the Committee about the importance
of examining impacts of products throughout their lifetime, and
are grateful for the Committee's endorsement of the product roadmap
approach. As discussed at recommendations 6 and 15, the role of
lifecycle assessments of products and the use of labelling are
also central to our approach.
We plan to publicise, and build on, lessons learned
from the 10 pilot product roadmaps which Defra is co-ordinating
(looking at milk, fish and shellfish, clothing, TVs, domestic
lighting, commercial electric motors, plasterboard, window systems,
WCs and passenger cars) - with a view to developing and improving
the roadmap approach. We are encouraging businesses, NGOs and
others not just to participate in Government co-ordinated roadmaps
but also to kick start and lead their own product roadmapping
activities.
Actions from the roadmaps will make it easier for
consumers to act more sustainably, and, while they are unlikely
to be directly involved, publicity surrounding the roadmaps will
help to inform and influence consumer behaviours.
Recommendation 26
We support the use of voluntary sectoral agreements
to bring stakeholders together in tackling specific waste streams,
enabling businesses to recognise the costs of their waste and
giving them the opportunity and guidance to minimise it. The Government
must be prepared to monitor these agreements and review policies
when necessary. (Para 7.41)
We agree about the value of voluntary sectoral agreements
and on the importance of monitoring and reviewing their progress.
The Courtauld Commitment is a voluntary agreement
between the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), Defra,
the Scottish and Welsh Governments and the UK grocery sector to
achieve significant reductions in household packaging and food
waste. WRAP announced on 28 July that the grocery sector has achieved
the first objective—to end packaging growth in the UK—despite
various challenges including 1.8 per cent growth in the grocery
sector and population growth of 0.5 per cent per annum. The Commitment
is due to run until 2010. Discussions are ongoing around agreeing
an ambitious successor agreement.
The UK retail sector agreed to take action and set
itself a shared objective with the Government and WRAP to reduce
the overall environmental impact of all carrier bags by 25 per
cent by the end of 2008. A review of the work done after
the first year (2007) suggested that the signatories were on track
to hit the target. The agreement covers all types of carrier bags,
not just plastic, to send a consistent message to consumers on
reducing the usage and impact of carrier bags. It was conceived
as a first stage, and as announced in this year's Budget, we are
now looking beyond the direct environmental impacts of carrier
bags, towards achieving a substantial reduction in the number
of single-use carrier bags distributed by retailers.
The Government has also secured voluntary agreements
with other sectors, notably the paper industry, where there are
agreements with newspaper publishers on recycled content, with
periodical publishers on recycling rates, and with the direct
marketing sector on both waste prevention and recycling rates.
The Government keeps these agreements under regular review and
will look to improve their effectiveness wherever possible, acting
in consultation with the sectors concerned.
Part of the response to recommendation 18 describes
another example of the use of voluntary sectoral agreements (with
regard to sustainable clothing).
Recommendation 27
The Government must engage with industry and provide
the assurances and certainty required to enable businesses to
invest in waste reduction strategies. In order to encourage innovation,
we recommend that the Government adopt the "top runner"
approach wherever possible. This strategy should involve the use
of standards and choice editing, pre-selecting the most sustainable
products, to drive continued improvements in sustainability. (Para
7.42)
As a general principle we are looking for greater
use of progressively updated or dynamic standards to drive environmental
innovations. This was a key recommendation of the report of the
Commission on Environmental Markets and Economic Performance (CEMEP),
which the UK Government accepted in its response in May 2008.
The UK is already seeking to secure the use of dynamic standards
in our negotiations in Europe on energy using products. By establishing
clear levels of expected energy efficiency, manufacturers of products
are able to plan their products with greater certainty. For example
the recently agreed Eco-Design of Energy Using Products Directive
(EuP) Implementing Measure on Stand-by establishes 1 watt as the
standard for 1 year after the measure comes into force and 0.5
watts for 3 years later. EuP implementing measures could, in principle,
cover other environmental impacts such as waste. However, in the
products studied so far, energy in use has been identified as
by far the largest impact to be addressed.
A similar approach is being taken in the setting
of standards for products procured by Government. Buy Sustainable Quick Wins
are aimed at Central Government and its agencies. They comprise
best practice specifications and a set of mandatory minimum standards
at the market average level. These best practice specifications
are more stretching than the mandatory minimum. They are voluntary
for those procurers that wish to purchase the "best in class"
products in certain areas. These may become the minimum standards
over different time periods depending on the product or product
group. Standards are reviewed regularly through cross departmental
expert groups involving CESP and Defra. New standards were published
in July. We are also taking account of international specifications
and toolkits, including European Green Public Procurement.
Recommendation 28
We were disappointed by the unwillingness of the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss
fiscal incentives and recommend that the Department should work
with the Treasury to review the case for implementing variable
Value Added Tax to promote the development of sustainable products.
(Para 7.43)
The VAT framework has been agreed and implemented
at EU level, and this limits the Government's flexibility in making
significant changes to the domestic VAT system. VAT is a broad
based tax on consumer expenditure from which reliefs have always
been strictly limited and there is no prospect of a fundamental
redesign of the EU VAT system to be based upon the environmental
sustainability of a good or service. Nonetheless, the Government
believes that the need to tackle climate change is the most pressing
example of where specific changes should be introduced to EU VAT
rate agreements to be more consistent with broader Community objectives.
The Government has been engaging constructively at EU level to
secure agreement on the application of reduced VAT rates to energy-saving
and energy efficient products.
Recommendation 29
It is important that the Government address areas
of public concern in order to engage with members of the public
and encourage behavioural changes. Nevertheless, the Government's
focus must now widen to include other waste streams apart from
the obvious options of domestic waste and packaging. We welcome
the identification of key materials from the commercial, industrial
and construction sectors, but recommend that the Government should
provide greater clarity about who will be taking the lead in addressing
production and consumption in each of these areas and who will
be responsible for promoting and monitoring the over-arching aim
of waste reduction. (Para 7.44)
The Government is already focussing on a wide range
of waste streams, taking as the starting point the seven priority
material streams identified in Waste Strategy 2007. Work on each
of these (plastics, non-ferrous metals, textiles, food, wood,
paper and glass) is at different stages of development. This is
over and above approaches focussing on waste in major sectors,
especially retail and construction. Workplans have been developed
or are being further developed in all these areas, with leads
identified for the relevant activities.
Following the recent Machinery of Government changes,
Defra will continue to lead on overarching responsibilities for
sustainable consumption and production, and waste, including waste
prevention. Defra will work closely on this agenda with other
relevant Government departments, especially the Departments for
Energy and Climate Change, Business and Regulatory Reform, Innovation
Universities and Skills, Communities and Local Government and
Treasury.
1 Application areas represent fields of major
societal or economic challenges, where the Technology Strategy
Board has an important role to play. Technology areas highlight
those it sees as vital to maintaining core expertise and leading
edge technologies to underpin business growth, and maintains a
pipeline of new advances to keep UK businesses at the leading
edge. Back
2
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/scp/pdf/ems.pdf Back
3
www.netregs.gov.uk Back
4
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consumerprod/pdf/prod-materials-report0708.pdf Back
5
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47440.pdf Back
6
www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47440.pdf Back
7
The Government funded Centre for Remanufacturing & Re-use
monitors businesses whose business models are based around take-back
and remanufacturing and publishes case-studies to publicise the
benefits of remanufacturing in a sustainable business model. Back
8
( Material Security-Ensuring Resource Availability for the UK
Economy ) Back
9
( Energy from Waste Business Case ) Back
10
www.closedlooprecycling.co.uk/page.asp?pageid=99&nid=241 Back
11
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/strategy/work_areas/food_policy.aspx Back
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