The idea comes in the Mayor's draft municipal waste management strategy published this afternoon.
Mr Livingstone says : “I am arguing that the Mayor should be the waste authority for London.” And be warned that without this single authority “what we can do in the next five years will be constrained by limited powers and voluntary codes.”
Mr Livingstone confirmed that his vision for waste management in London is for much more recycling. ” I think we should recycle everything that is possible to recycle.” He added that his view was also for a presumption against any increase in incineration and landfill.
The draft does not suggest a higher recycling target than the 25% already set by government for 2005, although it is calling for higher targets for 2010 and beyond.
On the funding front, the draft says that in the long term recycling and waste minimisation will be less costly than continuing to landfill waste. The document also refers to various government funding programmes and calls for London to receive an appropriate share of funding to implement the waste strategy.
The consultation document is a patchwork of measures. These include removing waste disposal costs from council tax bills, with this implemented first in areas with high recycling levels. Also suggested is that waste collection authorities collect organic waste (other than material that is home composted) separately for composting.
A further proposal is that civic amenity sites be turned into ” Reuse and Recycling Centres ” and research into this will be carried out with the Environmental Services Association.
The draft will now be examined by the Greater London Assembly with comments due back this autumn. Public consultation will take place next spring and a final version should be ready in the autumn of 2002.
Full details of the strategy can be seen on the London Mayor website.
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