Speaking at the Environment Technology Exhibition at Birmingham’s NEC centre today, he said: “With less waste going to landfill and recycling on the increase, there is still a residue of waste to be disposed of. But we must come forward with new alternatives to incineration – which is exceedingly unpopular – such as anaerobic digestion.”
The comments were made as a panel of environmental experts discussed the question: The environment – does corporate Britain really care? Other panel members included Environment Agency chief executive Barbara Young, environmentalist Jonathan Porritt and Soil Association policy director Lord Peter Melchett.
Enforcement
Mr Meacher also stressed the need to clamp down on environmental damage and pollution: “We need to find innovative ways to ensure we act on litter and clean up neighbourhoods.” Barbara Young added she was looking for more ways to penalise companies and individuals who are not paying their regulatory dues for wrecking the environment. She said: “We need to get really hard on guys who screw up, and beat them with a big stick…we’re lucky if we get a 20,000 fine against a multi-million pound company.”
Supply chain
Discussing the impact of environmental regulation on business, Mr Meacher emphasised that more needed to be done to get the environmental message through to smaller businesses, or SMEs: “Though it’s the leaders who use supply chain power to indicate the importance of environmental performance, I don’t think the culture has really got through that far,” he admitted, “particularly to smaller businesses.”
He added that although there had been a significant increase in corporate environmental responsibility, it was “too concentrated at the top layer – people who have a brand logo to maintain.” But he also said he was “hesitant about mandatory environmental reporting – it’s much better if business takes its own responsibility.”
However, all the speakers agreed that sending the right environmental signals to small businesses was critically important, as they represented the majority of the UK economy.
Electronics
Replying to a question from letsrecycle on how business was preparing for the electricals and electronics directive (WEEE), Mr Meacher was quick to point out that the waste fridge issue would not be repeated. He said that the UK had plenty of time. “It’s not due to come into force until 2005,” he said, “and the situation will be completely different from the fridge mountain, which was a regulation that came into force as soon as it was passed in the UK.” He said that the problem of fridge disposal had arisen because the European Commission had failed to respond to nine repeated questions on foam treatment, which had led to the delay,
Waste tax
Questioned on three schemes which could be used to bring about environmental change, Environment Agency head Barbara Young said a waste tax was needed. “We’re drowning in waste. I’d like to see the cost of throwing it away to be made very apparent. Some of the stuff companies are recycling need not be produced in the first place – especially packaging,” she remarked.
Other speakers were even more critical. Environmentalist Jonathan Porritt said that “the UK waste strategy is a busted flush and going nowhere” and called for DEFRA to help create markets for recyclates.
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