When landfill co-disposal ends in July 2004, the number of hazardous waste landfills in Wales will fall from nine to zero. Earlier this week (17/09/03) Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson Mick Bates said the Assembly had not put in place sufficient plans for the drop in disposal capacity
(see letsrecycle.com story).
Bill
Mr Bates said: “The Labour Assembly government has failed to prepare for this problem, and now producers of hazardous waste will have to foot the bill for carrying it across the border.”
But a spokeswoman for the Assembly said today: “The Welsh Assembly Government has already acknowledged the problem of a lack of hazardous waste landfill capacity after 2004, and has been working towards a solution.”
She said the Assembly's had been the first UK government to set waste minimisation targets and pointed out its 2002 National Waste Strategy had included a Hazardous Waste Plan.
“Some of the powers necessary to promote waste minimisation are not devolved but the Assembly government is working on a UK level with organisations like WRAP to achieve practical results,” she went on.
Practical
The Assembly's practical waste minimisation measures include a public sector waste minimisation campaign and plans for a home composing programme as well as work with business support organisations to develop a package of support to reduce hazardous waste.
The spokeswoman added that the Assembly is holding a seminar next week (25/09/2003) on the subject, entitled, 'Land-use Planning and Hazardous Waste: Can we avert a crisis?'. “This will be an important action in implementing our hazardous waste strategy,” she said.
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