The comments come as part of Defra's official response to the cross-party Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Efracom) review of the Waste Strategy for England 2007, which analysed the progress the country had made to achieve aims set out in the Strategy.
The Efracom report, which was published in January 2010, blasted the government's “disproportionate” focus on the household waste sector and claimed that the government had only “belatedly” begun to assess the need for increased work with the C&I waste sector (see letsrecycle.com story).
Responding to the criticism, the government drew attention to the commitment Defra and the department for business, innovation and skills (BIS) made in October 2009 to include greater work with stakeholders to tackle business waste (see letsrecycle.com story).
In its official response, the government states: “The Policy Statement on commercial and industrial waste published last year was a first step and since the committee's inquiry, work is already underway to implement the actions it contained.
“A national survey of commercial and industrial waste in England will be completed this year and the data collected will inform the possible setting and monitoring of any future targets.”
The government also acknowledged the need for further working in the immediate wake of the report being published (see letsrecycle.com story).
Landfill bans
Defra had received criticism from Efracom over lacking the “courage of its convictions” by aiming to have landfill bans for certain material in place by 2020.
However, in its response, the government stressed that it needed to “strike a right balance” between developing necessary infrastructure and providing certainty of change.
It also pointed to last week's (March 18) publication of consultations on potential restrictions which claimed that lead-times of two-to-12 years would be required for any potential bans (see letrecycle.com story).
Rates
The Efracom report also called for a 50% household waste recycling rate target to be set for 2015 and a 60% rate for 2020.
The government, however, indicated that it would be retaining its current set of targets, which 40% recycling rate by 2010, 45% by 2015 and 50% by 2050, as these aligned with European Union targets outlined in the revised Waste Framework Directive.
And, while it said that more work needed to be done to achieve these goals, the government explained that it had shown “significant progress” to rise from 8% to 38% over the course of the decade.
Cuts
The Efracom review also called on the government to assess the potential impact that budget cuts for WRAP and the National Industrial Symbiosis Project (NISP) would have for business recycling and reuse rates.
In response, the government acknowledged the “excellent work” done by the delivery bodies and claimed that the move to make WRAP the single coordinating body for support, following its Delivery Landscape Review, would produce savings of £4.6 million in 2010/11.
And, it said WRAP is currently devising its business plan for the forthcoming financial year to ensure it continues to meet the reuse and recycling needs of the business sector. Futhermore, it stressed that WRAP would develop and refine its regional development agencies and work more closely with small and medium-sized businesses.
Exports
Another area singled out for criticism in the Efracom report was the government's performance with regards to prosecutions for illegal waste exports – an area the cross-party committee believed that the government could do improve in.
The government responded by highlighting the work it is doing to coordinate the efforts of the Environment Agency with other relevant agencies – such as the UK Border Agency and HM Revenue and Customs – to allow a freer flow of information.
It stated: “The Government is proposing to bring forward amendments to the regulations relating to the transfrontier shipment of waste to provide an appropriate information gateway for the competent authorities to enable this to happen and to come into force in October 2010.”
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