Defra denies U-turn on waste activities

Resource minister Dan Rogerson has not reversed his position on moving away from waste activities, Defra said today.

However, the minister yesterday (July 8) revealed that Defra intends to still be active in waste policy work and ran through several projects he was involved in. Mr Rogerson was speaking at anEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA)committee hearingand hetold the committee’s MPs thatthere are waste topics where there is a “strong rationale for action” by his department.

Mr Rogerson’s comments came as he was tackled by the committee about the letter he sent last November to members of the waste and recycling sector informing them of a reduction of activities by Defra (see letsrecycle.com story).

Business

Despite some observers believing the minister has almost made a U-turn on his commitment to the industry, Defra claimed that the letter remained relevant and that business was best placed to take the lead in areas of the sector.

A Defra spokesperson said: Our position on waste and resource management has not changed. There are areas where there is a strong rationale for government action for example our regulations on quality at MRFs.

In other areas industry is best placed to take the lead but everyone has a role to play and we want to see local authorities, waste companies, industry, the voluntary sector and householders working together.

Mr Rogerson attended the fourth hearing of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee alongside top resource and waste official Dr Colin Church yesterday where the minister flatly denied the department had reduced its activities in the sector.

Passivity

Committee chair Anne McIntosh MP asked whether there was an element of passivity in the department, raising concerns that the government is stepping back and leaving the commercial sector to its own devices.

Mr Rogerson said: We are continuing working in areas around resource policy, we are continuing to look at packaging targets and quality of recyclate in the materials recycling facility regulations, and in December we launched the Waste Prevention Programme. We are not stepping back from waste policy.

He also put to bed suggestions that the waste brief could become the remit of the department for Business, Innovation & Skills a recommendation that was publicised in a report by the 2020 Conservative group earlier this year (see letsrecycle.com story).

He continued: Resource management is at the heart of Defra. These materials are a resource and business will take a good view of this. But BIS is a big department and I think they would have a lot on their hands if they took up waste.

Higher targets

And, commenting on the new package of 2030 targets unveiled by the European Commission last week, Mr Rogerson reiterated Defras resistance to imposing the higher 70% target for recycling.

The call for evidence comes as part of the committees Waste Management in England inquiry, which is seeking views on recycling targets, landfill, energy recovery, anaerobic digestion and thermal treatment (see letsrecycle.com story).