WRAP steps into Defra void with TEEP advice

The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is to develop advice for local authorities on commingled collections and TEEP after it was confirmed that Defra has abandoned statutory guidance on the issue.

The decision to involve WRAP in helping local authorities has the backing of Defra. The work will help councils ascertain if they are compliant with the revised Waste Framework Directive, which states that they must have separate collections of dry recyclables in place by January 2015, unless it is not technically, environmentally and economically practicable (TEEP) for them to do so.

Defra last week revealed that it has opted to scrap any TEEP guidance which existed in draft form and councils were instead told to consult their own legal counsel to ensure that they have correctly interpreted the law (see letsrecycle.com).

A spokeswoman for the Department, said this week: Local authorities should be aware of the requirements relating to collection of dry recycling material. We do not believe there is a need to issue further guidance.

But, concerns exist that any councils failing to comply with the law could face costly legal challenges, with the Campaign for Real Recycling (CRR), which has long championed sorting over commingled collections, not ruling out the possibility of legal action.

Guidance

It will now fall to WRAP, which is part-funded by Defra, to provide assistance to local authorities. Defras top waste and resource official, Dr Colin Church, who announced the decision not to issue guidance is a key board member of WRAP and his officials are expected to discuss Defra thinking with WRAPs local authority team.

Few details of the nature of WRAPs proposed guidance have yet been disclosed but the organisation has confirmed that it is developing a resource pack to signpost useful information for councils.

A spokesman for WRAP, told letsrecycle.com: WRAP has not developed any specific TEEP guidance. As part of our work with local authorities we will be putting together a resource pack that will contain or signpost helpful information, but the details of this are still at a very early stage.

Letter

To date only a letter from the then resource minister Lord de Mauley sent in October 2013 offers any advice for local authorities on the issue of TEEP. However this stopped short of providing any statutory guidance for councils to follow to ensure they are compliant with the requirements of the legislation.

In his letter, the former minister reminded councils that commingled collections of dry recyclables will not be permissible in all circumstances and that reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that waste streams are kept separate from each other to provide high quality recyclables (see letsrecycle.com story).