Under sections 46 and 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities have powers to specify the type and number of receptacles to be used and the location where the waste should be placed for collection. The DETR says that this needs to be taken into consideration by builders when planning a refuse storage system's capacity and ease of removal of waste and recyclables.
Michael Johnston of the DETR's building regulations sections said that the revised building regulations were important in helping to ensure that builders provided space not only for waste but also for materials that could be recycled.
For domestic developments space will have to be provided “for storage of containers for separated waste (i.e. waste which can be recycled is stored separately from waste which cannot) and having a combined capacity of 0.25 cubic metre per dwelling or such other capacity as may be agreed with the waste collection authority.”
And where collections are less frequent than once a week, this allowance will have to be increased says the DETR.
High rise developments are also covered by the regulations. Up to the fourth floor dwellings may have their own or share waste containers. Above this height a container for non-recyclable waste fed by a chute is allowed but there will also have to be separate storage for any waste which can be recycled.
The Department notes that the use of “residents only” recycling areas by blocks of flats have proved effective.
The revised Building Regulations “Solid Waste Storage H6” are still to go before Parliament for approval and this is expected to happen by the summer. The new rules are likely to come into effect next year.
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