UK leads way on resource flows thanks to Mass Balance study

And, the work also won high-praise from a European waste expert for putting the UK ahead of other European states in resource studies.

Mr Sheerman, the Huddersfield MP who has had a long involvement with the waste and recycling sector, was speaking at “The Finale of Mass Balance UK” held in the Houses of Parliament.

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“This work has made an astonishing contribution to understanding resource flows” –  – Barry Sheerman MP

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He stressed the potentially devastating impacts of climate change issues and the importance of delivering sustainable waste management in gaining a better and sustainable environment. “This is a serious issue and if we don’t do something about the planet, then there won’t be a future for our children and grandchildren.”

Mr Sheerman officially launched the final report from the Biffaward project, which is funded by Landfill Tax contributions from Biffa Waste Services. Since1997 the project has seen publication of more than 40 detailed reports covering a range of sectors, regions and materials.

Gauntlet

The report was also welcomed by Birgit Munck-Kampann, director of the European Environment Agency’s resource centre. She said: “The Thematic Strategy throws down the gauntlet to individual member states to develop national plans of sustainable resource use. An essential first step in developing such a plan is to identify what resources you are using as a nation and the environmental impacts this resource use has.

“Only then can we begin prioritising and targeting sectors, products and consumption patterns with particularly high environmental impacts. The book being launched today, draws together a body of work which puts the UK at the forefront of national efforts to map out resource flows and impacts. This sets the foundation for development of a UK national plan.

The final report gives a summary of all the previous studies. Peter Jones, development director at Biffaward has masterminded the programme with support from a team that included Kit Strange of the Resource Recovery Programme.

Tracking

Mr Jones explained that in 1996 Biffaward recognised that a more formalised approach to tracking resource flows in the economy was central to the development, enhancement and measurement of effective waste and environmental policies.

He said: “The advent of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme in 1996 enabled this important work to be translated into a much more substantial programme. The Biffaward Mass Balance Research programme has invested 10m and covered more than 60 project areas. In 2003, the government declared that the credit scheme support for this type of work would cease. No further studies can be initiated so we have decided to release a view of the entire programme.

“Timing is also predicated on clear indications that the European Waste Strategy will shift from ‘nd of pipe’ targets, regulations and definitional issues, to a more holistic approach founded on life cycle thinking. This approach is founded on the concept of resource efficiency, across entire supply chain systems.”