Prime Minister backs independent review on producer responsibility

The review is being carried out by the Better Regulation Task Force, an independent advisory group that reports to the Cabinet Office, and will focus on the key areas of waste electronics and end-of-life vehicles. Tony Blair is said to have ordered ministers to respond to the report within 60 days of its publication, expected to be the end of July 2003.

The review will be carried out by Janet Russell of Kirklees Metropolitan Council, independent financial consultant Tim Sweeney and Stephen Falder of HMG Paints. It will seek evidence from all interested parties and aims to provide the government with information it may otherwise overlook.

Commenting on the review, project leader Janet Russell said: “Producer responsibility has been used before in the UK, to deal with packaging waste. There are lessons we can learn from this experience. It's important that we do because soon, manufacturers of vehicles and electrical goods, and the consumers who buy them, will have to deal with used products differently.”

She added: “We want to hear from them, and all those who will be involved in collecting and treating waste, to find out what these changes will mean for them.”

Business

The report will look particularly at how forthcoming waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and end-of-life vehicle legislation will affect business as it comes into force over the next four years.

The task force chairman, David Arculus of Severn Trent, explained: “Many people fear that these new regulations will lead to increased dumping of scrap cars and mountains of untreated waste electrical goods. We want to be reassured that this won't happen, and that the Government has fully addressed the issues that will confront those who have to make these regulations work.”

The government is not expecting any major changes to the current direction of its policies stemming from the study. However, the review is seen in Whitehall as important in terms of highlighting areas of concern from a different perspective to the normal government sources.

Individuals or bodies wishing to give evidence to the review can contact:

The Better Regulation Task Force
2 Little Smith Street,
London SW1P 3DH

Tel: 0207 276 2141
e-mail: taskforce@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk