The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 were passed as secondary legislation this month, after being approved by Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales (see letsrecycle.com story).
The process by which this legislative change has come about yet again underlines the lack of strategic thinking on waste
Ian Hetherington, director-general, BMRA
At the British Metals Recycling Association we have consistently argued that when the regulations come into force on 6 April, they are likely to damage the legitimate metal recycling industry. This is ironic given that Defra which has championed the legislation, recently set out its ambitions to increase recycling by business and industry in the 'Commercial and Industrial Waste in England' report published last year.
It is even more puzzling, given the Government has committed to carbon budgets and greenhouse gas reductions of 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 and Lord Mandelson, as head of the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, has been talking about the need for a ‘green collar economy'.
Our opposition to this legislation is well documented as we believe one of its unintended consequences is that it will lead to the closure of legitimate metal recycling sites which will have to apply for retrospective planning permission. We also predict that the changes will encourage illegal metal recyclers, a perennial problem which the BMRA has been trying to eliminate in conjunction with the Environment Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
The metals recycling sector contributes £5bn to the economy and recovers around 15 million tonnes of metal a year. Given that the industry is in fact the largest and most successful recycling sector in the country it is counter intuitive for the one government department to bring in legislation that damages the industry, when another is trying to encourage the sector to flourish.
Whilst on this occasion our concerns fell on deaf ears, the process by which this legislative change has come about yet again underlines the lack of strategic thinking on waste.
What Government and its agencies must now do is listen to our industry to ensure policy and advice are consistent and practical for all businesses and materials streams. Government and industry collaboration is the only way to ensure we meet Lord Mandelson's vision for our industry's future.
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