Environment minister Lord de Mauley yesterday (June 4) said he was surprised and disappointed that many of the recommendations made in the Local Government Association (LGA)s Waste Review are aimed at central government.
Speaking at the launch of the LGAs Review in London, the minister instead emphasised the role of local government in driving up recycling and reuse and called more councils to join together as waste partnerships.
In the review, published yesterday (see letsrecycle.com story), the LGA calls for more support and investment for recycling from the government including the return of landfill tax to fund recycling infrastructure; the introduction of landfill bans for certain materials and to ensure producers pay more towards the costs of waste and recycling.
Commenting on this, the minister said: I note today that many of the recommendations you have made in the report are aimed at central government. I am both surprised and disappointed by that. There are substantial roles here for industry, and or course a massive, game changing role for local government.
So let me ask you today what you are each going to do to take the standard of every local authority and bring it up and beyond to the standard of the very best.
‘I note today that many of the recommendations you have made in the report are aimed at central government. I am both surprised and disappointed by that’
Lord de Mauley
Reuse
However, the minister did commit to taking part in a review proposed by the LGA to look at measures to build the reuse market. The LGA is proposing to set up a Reuse Commission to report by the end of 2013 on measures government, councils, businesses and the voluntary sector can take to drive growth in the reuse of products.
When asked by deputy chair of the LGA environment and housing board, councillor Clyde Loakes, for a definitive answer as to whether Defra would contribute to the report, the minister replied: Yes.
In his speech, the minister was keen to emphasise the importance of driving up the quality of recycled material, and confirmed that there could be changes to the PRN system and packaging regulations in future.
Responding to suggestions in the LGA review that packaging regulations negatively impact on the economy by incentivising the export of poor quality material, Lord de Mauley said: I am exploring whether changes are needed to the PRN system to ensure there is a level playing field here, and our domestic industry is not disadvantaged.
The LGA Waste Review calls for amendments to the PERN system so that it is fairer on the domestic reprocessing industry.
Commenting on another major recommendation in the LGA Review for a freeze on the landfill tax levy at its 2014/15 level, the minister said: Landfill tax is right above my pay grade as it is up to central government rather than a Defra thing.
Partnerships
Emphasising the role of local government in driving up recycling and reuse, Lord de Mauley called more councils to join together as waste partnerships, highlighting the Kent Waste Partnership and Somerset and Dorset Waste Partnership as examples.
Although he said that this wasnt always easy as in many aspects of waste policy, one size doesnt fit all, he added that Defra provided guidance and documents through WRAP to help facilitate joint working between local authorities.
Asked by St Edmundsbury borough councillor Peter Stevens whether there was a danger that large groupings of local authority partnerships might diminish close connections with communities, Lord de Mauley said: Well that is a challenge but those that have done it already have not encountered huge problems in that regard. It is important to take lessons from them.
Directive
Furthermore, Lord de Mauley said he was pleased with the outcome of the recent Judicial Review the governments interpretation of the EUs Waste Framework Directive, which agreed with Defras view that it should be for local authorities to make judgements about where separate collections were necessary (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, he said: The outcome of legal proceedings does not however change the obligation on local authorities separately to collect the four dry recyclate materials where this is necessary to facilitate recycling and recovery and where this is practicable.
He added: Each local authority will need to consider what this means for them and this may not always be straightforward.
He said he had asked Defra to work with the LGA to develop guidance to help local authorities decide what the requirements of the Directive mean and to assess what is practicable.
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