The review is part of the government’s programme to look at ‘streamlining’ growth and innovation across five sectors including energy and agriculture by removing regulatory burdens.
As part of the programme the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) yesterday (July 16) issued a call for evidence on the impact of regulations across the waste industry – from production and processing to collection, disposal and treatment.
Any plans to cut regulation in the waste sector are likely to be met with some caution from industry, with many viewing government intervention as an important factor in supporting legitimate businesses in the sector.
Specific areas to be covered in the review are:
- compliance checks
- visits and inspections
- data collection and requests
- requirements to make formal applications or provide information to obtain necessary permits and licences
- proportionality of regulation
- consultation by regulators
- clarity of guidance and advice
- assessment of impact of activities on growth.
Defra has confirmed that waste production by householders does not fall within this scope, which is aimed specifically at waste and recycling companies.
Evidence submitted by businesses could include the effect on and costs incurred by small companies of regulation, compliance and enforcement, the impact of particular legislation, or the impact of regulation derived from health and safety issues.
There will also be a focus on the impact of EU regulations, the effectiveness of regulatory market mechanisms, and the usefulness of data reporting.
Bureaucracy
According to Defra the findings will be used by government to ‘remove barriers’ to advance the sector – as well as cut ‘unnecessary bureaucracy’. However, the Department states it will be maintaining ‘the protection of human health and the environment’.
Calling on businesses to submit evidence, Mr Stewart said: “This review is an exciting opportunity to look at what else we can do to cut needless bureaucracy and remove unnecessary burdens on businesses in the waste sector.
“We have already delivered savings of just under £1 million a year by removing requirements for businesses to create site waste management plans and I hope this review will identify more barriers we can remove to open up the industry to further growth and innovation.”
Mr Stewart added the Cutting Red Tape programme would complement the government’s work on waste crime and consultation on Environment Agency enforcement.
Crime
He said: “The review supplements our ongoing work on waste crime and we will shortly be publishing the government response to the recent consultation on legislative proposals to enhance the Environment Agency’s enforcement powers.
“This review is about giving the people who work in the waste industry a voice, giving them an opportunity to have a say on regulations that affect them, and creating an efficient and productive waste industry.”
Industry members have long called on government for more intervention in the sector. In an interview with letsrecycle.com in May, Environmental Services Association director general Jacob Hayler described the waste sector as a ‘regulation-led sector’, adding that any failure to achieve its outcomes would be a case of ‘regulatory failure’ (see letsrecycle.com story).
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