Government plans to introduce a new permitting exemption for scrap metal yards which allows on-line registration and a “low level” of inspection will lead to an increase in illegal operators, the British Metal Recycling Association (BMRA) has warned.
Speaking to letsrecycle.com yesterday (September 30), the director-general of the BMRA, Ian Hetherington, claimed that the plans to replace the current paragraph 45 exemption for scrap metal recovery with a new 'T9' exemption were “based on bad thinking”.
We see no justification in tampering with the existing, well-policed, paragraph 45
Ian Hetherington
Under the plans, which the government confirmed last month in its response to a consultation on its overhaul of the exemptions system (see letsrecycle.com story), sites will be able to register for an exemption online, for free.
Mr Hetherington also claimed that sites registered as exempt from a permit would also receive a “very low level of inspection” compared to those registered as exempt under paragraph 45, and, as a result, the new exemption would be “a licence to encourage illegal operation”.
He said that “we see no justification in tampering with the existing, well-policed, paragraph 45. It provides a level of scrutiny from the EA that is appropriate to the level of risk,” adding that “there is no evidence that the existing exemption is being abused”.
He explained: “This is an uncomfortable position for us; we're not asking for more regulation, what we're asking for is regulation that's relevant to this industry.”
Mr Hetherington claimed that the new exemption was not supported by either the Home Office or the police, and stressed that “any legislative change should be evidence based”.
Costs
The BMRA has already raised concerns over the potential for the overhaul of the exemptions system to mean that as many as a third of currently-exempt scrap metal yards will have to apply for an environmental permit, with all the costs that entails (see letsrecycle.com story).
And, Mr Hetherington contrasted the impact this could have on established scrap metal yards – and in particular the requirements it is expected to involve for sites to apply for planning permission – with the effect that the new exemption could have on illegal operations.
Explaining that the BMRA wanted “less but better regulation”, he said that the BMRA planned to continue to fight against the introduction of the new exemption, both in the lead up to its planned April 2010 introduction, and during the three year transition period until it is fully introduced.
“The proposals have to receive a positive assent through both houses and we will continue to fight that through the parliamentary processes and we will continue to make our case through the transition period because Defra and the EA can determine to abandon that exemption if they so choose,” he said.
He added that the BMRA was “very confident” it would succeed, “because I think case is strong and I think the evidence emerge to support it”.
Last week, the Environment Agency published a consultation on the proposed permitting charges for 2010/11, including the fees that newly-liable scrap metal yards would be expected to pay (see letsrecycle.com story).
In the document, the Agency committed to work with the metal recycling sector over the next few months to establish how relevant its existing permit for scrap metal yards would be for operators who find themselves liable under the exemptions overhaul
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