Environment minister Dan Norris yesterday (February 9) announced his support for turning England into a ‘zero waste nation' and confirmed that a consultation on landfill bans is set to be launched in the next few weeks.

We have a big challenge and I support a radical idea like ‘zero waste'

 
Dan Norris

However, the notion of  ‘zero waste' was criticised as "misleading", with claims it will only amount to "nice rhetoric".

Speaking at the Resource Waste Management Summit in London, Mr Norris explained that the long-term ambition of Defra was to create a ‘zero waste nation' and he gave an indication that this would be achieved by a keener focus on organics recycling.

Environment minister Hilary Benn first outlined this zero waste vision in October 2009, when the minister identified the need for greater work on food waste and for a wider range of materials to be collected at the kerbside by all local authorities by 2020 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Mr Norris said that while there was talk about resource waste management "resource waste reduction or waste obliteration would be a better name and that is where we need to set our sights really. We need to take vision of a zero waste nation and make it a reality."

Giving an overview of current government working, Mr Norris also drew attention to an impending consultation on proposed landfill bans for certain materials, which has become a keen focus for government in recent months (see letsrecycle.com story).

He said: "Landfill Tax will continue to rise and we are still looking at whether to ban certain materials, such as aluminium, food, glass, plastics, textiles, wood and paper, from landfill.
"Of this course, for this to be successful we will need to use all the expertise available to make a decision on this and we will be launching our consultation on this in the next few weeks."

Organics

Linked to proposed landfill bans for food waste, Mr Norris also used the MRW event to point to the work being done by the government to reduce food waste through support for organic waste treatment facilities and funding for the kerbside collection of kitchen waste.

Mr Norris highlighted support Defra has given to the organics recycling sector through WRAP's Organics Capital Grants Programme, which has seen the government involved in the development of five organics recycling facilities to date with "plans in the pipeline for even more".

The minister added that there was a need to help develop the food waste collection infrastructure in order to make sure that the treatment facilities are sustainable.

"It is not just the plants itself, we need to collect the food waste to go into them," he said. "Now, over 80 local authorities do some food waste and along with WRAP we are working with local authorities to develop more."

"Nice rhetoric"

Following the minister's speech, Bruce Tyrell, co-director of London-based Community Waste, questioned the notion of a ‘zero waste nation' and branded the comments as "nice rhetoric".

Mr Tyrell queried whether the minister meant zero waste to landfill or zero waste creation and said: "Can that even be literally true and if not isn't it a bit misleading?"

Responding to Mr Terrell, Mr Norris said: "I think at the moment zero landfill will be the case but how long that will take I don't know. If we said ‘nearly zero waste' it would allow people to lessen their efforts. We have a big challenge and I support a radical idea like ‘zero waste'."

"It is very difficult, whether you want to call it marketing or propaganda or whatever, I think we have to engage with the public," added Mr Norris. "It is an exciting area because it is not just about getting bigger business and central and local government but more importantly is about the individual."