The NAO said today there is a “significant risk” of the UK missing its European landfill targets (see letsrecycle.com story).
– Lord Bruce-Lockhart, LGA
The Local Government Association said the NAO's views added weight to their campaign for more government funding for waste services and a shift to pay-by-weight systems for non-recyclable household waste.
LGA chairman Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said: “There needs to be a radical overhaul of the way in which rubbish is thrown away otherwise there is a real danger that the Council Tax bill will have to rise and the environment will continue to suffer.”
Producers
The LGA wants “strong action” to encourage shoppers to choose re-usable rather than disposable products, and wants more producer responsibility to make companies assist with recycling costs.
The Association also wants new discretionary powers to charge households directly for the waste they throw away, with reduced rates for less waste.
Lord Bruce-Lockhart said: “Only by offering this power to councils will it be possible to start meeting our duty to keep our green and pleasant land, green and pleasant.”
Industry
The waste management industry also responded to the NAO report today saying more funding was needed for local authorities.
Environmental Services Association chief executive Dirk Hazell said: “ESA's Members are working closely with local authorities to help them meet their LATS targets. However, as the NAO report points out, without proper funding and an effective planning regime, there is a significant risk that many local authorities will not meet the approaching landfill directive biodegradable waste diversion targets.”
Opposition
Opposition politicians said the NAO report suggested the government has not achieved quite the level of progress needed since coming to power in 1997.
Liberal Democrat shadow environment secretary Chris Huhne said: “It is five years since the Government’s Waste Strategy was published, and while there has been some progress, household waste is still growing by 3% a year and we are still burying over 75% of our rubbish.”
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Mr Huhne called for the taxation system to be used “much more intelligently” to tackle the problems within waste management.
He said: “Fiscal incentives should be tailored to motivate people to reuse and recycle materials. The Chancellor has had nine years to deliver and has failed.”
A spokesman for Defra said the government was considering the findings of the NAO report.
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