The Welsh Government has this week unveiled details of its Environment Bill, which is intended to come into effect from 2017 and will include measures to require businesses to segregate waste for recycling (see letsrecycle.com story).
In its explanation of the proposals, the Welsh Government said that the planned legislation would help to ensure that “clean, uncontaminated” recyclable materials are separated before they are reprocessed.
The legislation covers waste collected from businesses and public sector organisations, but not recyclable materials from households.
However, Viridor, while welcoming the potential of the legislation to boost recycling rates and produce higher quality recycling, has called on the Welsh Government to rule out implementing a mandatory single-system approach within the legislation.
Dan Cooke, director of external affairs at Viridor, said: “The publication of the Environment (Wales) Bill sends mixed messages to resource recycling and renewable energy businesses investing in Wales. Whilst moves towards boosting recycling with the aim of producing high quality secondary raw materials are welcome, there is an urgent need for government to rule out a mandatory “one size fits all” approach to collections which will do little other than add cost and bureaucracy to Welsh businesses, councils and corporates.”
Costs
In response a Welsh Government spokesman said that research carried out in developing the Bill have indicated that proposals put forward thus far would reduce waste collection costs – but that it will be working with businesses to develop ‘practical’ regulations.
He said: “Modelling carried out for the development of the Bill predicts that many businesses will save money from reduced waste collection costs as a result of the proposals. However, we recognise the concerns of businesses in this area, and will work with them to ensure that regulations developed under the Bill powers are practical and proportionate.
“We are proposing within the Bill to intervene in the collections market, by requiring that those who provide waste collection services to businesses offer better collection of recyclable materials.”
The Welsh Government has cited the example of Denbigh based bakery business Henllan Bread as an example of best practice, where the business has used £6,000 in grant money from WRAP Cymru to invest in new bins, signage and baling equipment to segregate more of its waste and reduce the amount sent to landfill.
Viridor should be supporting the progressive policies of the Welsh rather than criticising so harshly. The current Welsh Minister seems to have set Wales’ course very much on the circular economy, high quality recycling and resource efficiency. Mr Cooke would be better supporting this than implying that Viridor is opposed to this agenda.