Speaking at the launch of the Environmental Service Association’s ‘Delivering Sustainable Growth’ report, Ms McCarthy commended the Conservative MP for his work on harmonising waste collections.
Mr Stewart, who was appointed to Defra in June 2015, works under environment minister Liz Truss – Ms McCarthy’s opposite number in government.
But, the shadow minister went on to suggest that Defra was “utterly depleted” and raised concerns over England’s ability to meet its 50% recycling target by 2020. She also accused the department of an “ideological aversion” to waste regulations.
Taking to the podium, Ms McCarthy warned that the government’s recent record on “failing” to address takeaway coffee cup recycling and exploring deposit return schemes would culminate in a “recipe of inaction”.
Bill
It follows the minister’s continued struggle to get her Food Waste (Reduction) Bill heard in the House of Commons, which would obligate UK supermarkets to donate surplus food to charities (see letsrecycle.com story).
She said: “England’s recycling rates have fallen back this year for the first time since records began. The government has an ideological aversion to regulation, but there’s no contradiction between being pro-business and being pro-regulation.
“The government at the moment sees a sign of success as getting the word ‘voluntary’ into an agreement. It’s a clear ideological divide.”
On Rory Stewart’s tenure as recycling minister, Ms McCarthy added: “He does seem genuine in wanting to make a difference. A balance needs to be struck between the localism agenda and harmonisation of recycling collections, but I think it’s good he’s willing to have those discussions.”
She also congratulated Labour’s Sadiq Khan following his election as London Mayor last week, adding that there is “£7 billion” that could be derived from developing the circular economy in the capital. On the future of resource policy in the UK, Ms McCarthy claimed the Labour would be reviewing its position and pursuing its own “ambitious” strategy for 2025.
ESA
The ESA report outlines four key policy recommendations for the government to take on-board including:
- The development of resilient recovery markets;
- improving efficiency;
- reducing waste crime, and;
- transferring collection system funding from local authorities to the private sector.
Also speaking at the event, Jacob Hayler, chief executive of the association, said: “If we are going to meet the requirements of the Circular Economy package, that means more producer responsibility, and if we are going to see the producers take on more funding costs, the quid pro quo has to be more control.”
Grilled on the ESA’s position on the upcoming EU referendum by delegates, Mr Hayler added the association believed the UK could “thrive in or out” of Europe. Offering clarification, he added that EU membership had offered “certainty” for the sector up to 2030.
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