The Bill comes within the framework of environmental measures announced by the Queen during her speech to Parliament today.
Other measures include plans to crackdown on flytippers.
The Waste and Emissions Trading Bill is seen as a way to help the UK meet its obligations under the Landfill Directive. It would also further develop the statutory framework for emissions trading schemes.
Within government the Bill is thought to be seen as an important measure to help environmental policy on two fronts, advancing the UK’s policy to combat climate change and also to help the UK to move towards sustainable waste management.
The Bill comes alongside the publication of the Strategy Unit report on waste which is expected by the end of the month. One of the reasons for the report is the need to meet Landfill Directive targets and the Bill will play an important in helping to take delivery of the targets forward.
The content of the Bill is expected to include giving powers to the Secretary of State and his counterparts in Wales and Scotland to allocate to waste disposal authorities in their areas the maximum amount of allowances for the landfill of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) in Directive target years.
Allowances
It is likely also to give ministers the power to set up a scheme for the allocation of landfill allowances in non target years.
In addition it would allow a trading scheme to be set up for those allowances in both target and scheme years and make a legal requirement that these allowances not be breached.
Other key parts of the Bill will provide for the setting up of an infrastructure to monitor the scheme which would include the collection of information with public access as well as penalties for non compliance.
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