Two of the UK's lead waste and recycling companies have come out in defence of commingled collections after Defra gave its strongest support to date for kerbside sorting as part of a consultation on implementing the Waste Framework Directive in England and Wales.
Commingled collection is extremely effective in areas where wheeled bins can be accommodated
Paul Levett, deputy chief executive, Veolia
Veolia Environment Services and Viridor have both hit out at the stance taken by Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) last week (July 8) in the second consultation on transposing the Directive where they said they supported WRAP's assessment that kerbside sort should be used where “practicable” (see letsrecycle.com story).
The government's position in the consultation has already been seized on by kerbside-sort advocates the Campaign for Real Recycling as supporting its cause, despite it coming with caveats that the choice of collection system rests with individual councils and that commingled collections do have a role to play.
Paul Levett, deputy chief executive of Veolia, said: “Commingled collection is extremely effective in areas where wheeled bins can be accommodated. This system is easier to use and hence more popular with residents, increases recycling yields and reduces safety risks for operatives.
“Modern material recycling facilities can produce the high quality outputs required by the discerning buyers of the materials.”
The priority should be on quality and cost-efficiency and it is clear that both commingled and kerbside sorting can produce high quality products
Colin Drummond, chief executive, Viridor
Mr Levett did welcome the agreement between Defra and the European Union on the definition of what is required under the Directive's need for member states to introduce separate collections of some materials by 2015, with both kerbside sorting and commingled collection followed by sorting in a materials recycling facility counted as “separate”.
Also commenting on the Defra and WAG position in the consultation doucment, Colin Drummond, chief executive of Viridor, said that the Taunton-based company was “unsure of the benefit of the government being more prescriptive” on the issue of waste and recycling disposal, collection and sorting methods.
“The priority should be on quality and cost-efficiency and it is clear that both commingled and kerbside sorting can produce high quality products if managed properly, despite the claims of those with vested interests,” said Mr Drummond.
“Intrusive”
Furthermore, Mr Drummond said that the system set out to administer the legal responsibilities and liabilities outlined in the document could be “potentially complex and intrusive”. And, Viridor said this would go against the coalition government's intention to cut “red tape” for businesses.
He said: “We consider that this system will do little or nothing to increase recycling, but instead will potentially generate ill-will – which will be counter-productive – and additional costs for business.”
Mr Drummond also suggested that the waste and recycling sector had made “great progress” in recent years and suggested that legislation has not been necessary to achieve this.
He said: “Continued increases in recycling and resource efficiency are already occurring naturally thanks to changing corporate behaviour, pre-treatment regulations and to the rising Landfill Tax.”
The second consultation deadline for the revised Waste Framework Directive closes on September 16 2010.
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