Call for unity in face of Defra retreat on waste

Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) chief executive Steve Lee has said that more joint working will be needed across the waste industry if the government does not show strong leadership on issues affecting the sector.

The comments follow resource minister Dan Rogersons suggestion that government will be reducing its focus on waste in a letter sent to industry members last week. In an interview with letsrecycle.com, Mr Lee said that the letter should act as a call to action to spur greater cooperation across the industry.

But, he commented that the CIWM is disappointed with the ministers suggestion that work on commercial and industrial (C&I) and food waste will be scaled back, and called for government to continue to channel resources into the areas where only government can act.

Mr Lee said: We do recognise that these are tough times, but lets recognise the value this industry has got in terms of resource efficiency and resource security and getting value back from what we still waste. We are part of the green growth industry and we want government to recongise that and support us in doing it.

No money does not mean no action. If government is going to be pushed back from waste as a policy area, we have to treat this as a call to action for the industry itself. Having said that, in response to the draft NWPP we said that there are things only government can do and we want to see increased leadership in those areas.

Lobbying

Among the areas Mr Lee commented that he was keen to see government continue to focus its work are continued lobbying at European level to ensure that EU legislation benefits the UK sector and continuing work on communication to provide a coherent and coordinated message to householders on recycling.

Meanwhile, he also highlighted the importance of continuing work which CIWM has begun alongside other waste industry bodies including the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Renewable Energy Association (REA) and Resource Association, which has included responding to the governments consultation on European waste legislation (see letsrecycle.com story) and to lobby for protected funding for tackling waste crime (see letsrecycle.com story).

He added: Its always been important but it will be all the more important if we have Defra and other government departments pulling away from policy, legislation on waste and resource management.