The use of construction and demolition waste in filling old quarries is under threat because of competition from recycled aggregates market, quarry operators have warned.
The Quarry Products Association has said that the demands of sustainable procurement policies and the Landfill Directive is taking away inert building waste traditionally used to fill old excavations.
The Association said continued extraction of primary aggregates is necessary to keep sufficient material for “the needs of society currently and in the future”.
QPA planning executive Nienke Veldkamp said: “While we enthusiastically support the trend towards recycled aggregates, our members have, as a result, lost significant volume of inert material for restoration.
“Our members do not wish to use those inert materials that can be recycled for restoration purposes; however, they can ill afford to lose what cannot otherwise be recycled because of overly restrictive regulations,” he added.
The Association said that “confusing” new waste licensing regulations, such as the Landfill Regulations 2002 is also hindering the use of inert construction waste in restoring old quarries to their natural states. It suggested there was little need for “costly” Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control measures on inert landfills “when those sites deal with materials that pose no pollution risk”.
Walsall has “excellent” waste management future, says Audit Commission
Walsall metropolitan borough council has been praised by the Audit Commission for its positive future outlook towards waste management.
In its latest inspection the Commission graded the council's waste service as “fair”, awarding it one star and describing its prospects for the future as “excellent”. The commission complimented Walsall for having clear long term aims and that waste management would be important in achieving those aims.
It stated: “The council has a long term vision of how the borough should look in 2008 and environmental services have an important role in achieving the vision.”
The report also commented on Walsall's planning towards the 2006 recycling targets, stating that there is “significant” additional investment planned over the next two years to further improve recycling performance.
Walsall's Target for the Recycling and Composting of Household Waste in 2005/06 is 24%.
Seminar to discuss best practice and delivering infrastructure
Issues such as delivering large scale infrastructure, batteries recycling and maximising achievements in hard-to-reach places are to be covered in a best practice in recycling seminar from the Environmental Services Association.
The one-day seminar on December 8 at the New Connaught Rooms in London is designed to help local authorities towards reaching the government's target of 25% recycling by 2005/06.
Chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), Andy Doran will give the keynote speak on promoting good practice. While Judith Turner, operations director of Onyx Sheffield will give a presentation on delivering change in large English cities.
Other speakers include David Beadle, managing director of Norfolk Environmental Waste Service. He will discuss the issues surrounding the delivery of large scale infrastructure, such as the company's MRF in Costessey, and partnership working with local authorities.
For more information and to book a place, email: d-young@esa.org.uk
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