Urgent guidance is needed from the government to confirm that the recovery of energy fromELV residue is considered to be recovery rather than disposal, in order to ensure that future ELV targets are met.
That wasthe message from the British Metals Recycling Association, which this week (November 30) launched its third Agenda for Change document, setting out the key areas in which the body is lobbying.
The Association is calling for energy-from-waste plants which burn shredder residue left over at the end of the vehicle recycling process to be classed as recovery rather than disposal. According to the BMRA, this is crucial to ensure that the UK complies with EU End of Life Vehicle (ELV) recycling and recovery targets, which are set to rise from 85% at present to 95% by 2015.
BMRA Agenda
Better regulation and improved enforcement
Unlicensed metal recycling sites across the country threaten the reputation and competitiveness of the regulated market. BMRA calls for greater powers to close down and prosecute these illegal sites.
Planning provision
The planning system must make provision for new recycling and recovery facilities, and avoid damaging existing ones, in order to maintain and improve the metals recycling infrastructure.
Maximising recycling rates
Metals recyclers are ready to invest in the technologies needed to maximise recycling rates, recover energy from materials that cannot be recycled and meet future targets. In order to do so, clear guidance and support is needed from government on issues such as generate energy from waste.
Promoting international trade
Government must continue to resist calls for UK and EU export restrictions, improve enforcement of existing Waste Shipment Regulations and extend the use of end-of-waste mechanisms already put in place for metals like steel, iron and aluminium.
At present, the most efficient metal recyclers are able to recycle just over 90% of the material from ELVs, but there is a small amount left over, comprised of plastic, foam, textiles and wood which it claims is very hard to recycle. The association says that allowing energy recovery of this material would enable recyclers to reach the 95% target.
However under the governments current interpretations of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive, non-municipal waste converted to energy through incineration does not count toward the recovery targets meaning that one million tonnes of shredder residue is sent to landfill every year. The BMRA argues that a change in the government interpretation of the WFD will encourage the sector to invest in the technology needed to recover energy from post-shredder waste.
Speaking at the launch of the agenda, BMRA vice president Graham Davy, said: The waste framework directive was built around municipal incinerators and an industrial incinerator producing energy from waste cannot be classified as recovery. What we want is for regulators to allow a non-municipal post shredder energy from waste plant to be classed as recovery, if it is meeting the requirements that have been set out.
Mr Davy said he felt that the sector would be willing to invest in the technology needed to carry out this kind of process, were the incentive available for them to do so.
Metal Theft
Also detailed in the Agenda for Change are the associations recommendations for tackling scrap metal theft. This follows on from the governments budget pledge on Tuesday (November 29) to invest 5 million in setting up a metal theft taskforce (see letsrecycle.com story).
Mr Davy welcomed this focus on theft, and called for law makers to create a level playing field for legitimate scrap metal dealers. He cited one provision of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act that allows the Environment Agency to search any licensed scrap yard without having to give notice, while a warrant was needed to inspect an unlicensed site, as one area in need of review.
But, reiterating BMRA director general Ian Hetheringtons view (see letsrecycle.com story), he warned that banning cash payments for scrap metal would just encourage illegal trade.
Former recycling minister Lord Henley, now the home office minister for crime prevention who announced the metal theft taskforce this week, also stressed the need for a clampdown on those trading outside the law.
Speaking at the BMRA launch, he said: The government realises that the theft of metal is a serious problem that we must do something about. We will be taking action to ensure illegal operators are tackled and that scrap metal dealers acting within the law do not lose a commercial advantage as a result.
Lord Henley also indicated that the government would likely look at amending the Scrap Metal Dealers Act, describing the current legislation as out of date and in need of reform.
Planning
The BMRAs Agenda for Change also calls for improvements in planning provision for metal recycling and recovery facilities and promotion of better international trade links.
Related Links
It claims that 20% of the BMRAs members have reported significant problems obtaining planning approval for recycling sites and is calling for planning provisions for new sites to be included in the National Waste Management Plan which the government plans to introduce by Spring 2013.
According to figures published in the Agenda, UK metal recyclers export around 4 billion worth of metal each year.
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