Waste and recycling minister Lord Henley has today (August 16) reiterated the government's support for businesses to reduce their waste and increase recycling by signing voluntary responsibility deals rather than introducing new regulation.
Speaking while on a visit to SITA UK's Tees Valley energy-from-waste incinerator at Billingham, in the North East, Lord Henley pointed towards the successes achieved by existing voluntary agreements such as the grocery sector's Courtauld Commitment as evidence of what can be achieved by taking a non-regulatory approach.
We see responsibility deals as an important part of [the] drive towards a zero waste economy
Lord Henley, waste and recycling minister
And, he revealed that a number of as-yet-unnamed other business sectors were under consideration for potential voluntary responsibility deals in the future.
Taking a voluntary approach to business waste featured in the Conservative Party's General Election manifesto (see letsrecycle.com story) and, more recently, was one of the key issues listed in the terms of reference for the coalition government's current review of waste policy in England (see letsrecycle.com story).
This was alluded to by Lord Henley, who said: “As Secretary of State Caroline Spelman made clear last month when announcing the review of waste policy, this Government believes that businesses, like householders, should be encouraged to do the right thing, rather than tied down or penalised with excessive rules and regulations.”
Lord Henley noted that getting businesses to “do the right thing” was particularly important due to them creating twice as much waste as households.
And, he added: “We see responsibility deals as an important part of [the] drive towards a zero waste economy, and I hope that businesses will come forward with ideas and proposals for actions we can work together on.”
According to Defra, voluntary responsibility delivers change “that works” for both businesses and their customers, and can be achieved “cost-effectively” by encouraging competition between signatories to achieve outcomes and stimulate growth and innovation.
Courtauld Commitment
To date, the most high profile voluntary agreement, the grocery sector's Courtauld Commitment, has been launched twice, the first agreement running between 2005 and 2010 achieving a halt in packaging waste growth by 2008 (see letsrecycle.com story).
The second, launched in March 2010, takes a broader remit to include reducing carbon emissions, alongside tackling food and packaging waste (see letsrecycle.com story).
Last year also saw the launch of the ‘Home Improvement Sector Commitment' involving six of the UK's largest DIY retailers on a similar basis to its grocery sector predecessor (see letsrecycle.com story).
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