Environmental Services Association chief executive Dirk Hazell told the Hazardous Waste Sub-Committee: “The government has failed to build a waste strategy framework. We have no idea what it is planning with regards to hazardous waste strategy.”
The industry needs a clear statement of government targets on hazardous waste, he continued, asking Westminster to state clearly what sort of waste management industry it wants.
He added: “Our members simply don't know where they are.”
Urgent
The ESA's strongly-worded written evidence to the DEFRA committee said it was “dismayed” by the fact that existing infrastructure to treat hazardous waste is being undermined by an inadequate regulatory framework.
And it proposed that the government produce “as a matter of urgency” a hazardous waste strategy for the next decade to complement the national waste strategy.
Leslie Heasman, technical development director for MJ Carter joined the ESA in criticising the framework of impending regulation:
“In 14 days' time, hazardous liquids and corrosive materials will be banned from landfill,” she said, “but we still don’t have an agreed definition of what 'liquid' or 'c;orrosive' are.” And she drew attention to the lack of clear deadlines for other landfill requirements, such as pre-treatment of refuse.
The industry was keen to draw on experience of its larger companies elsewhere in the EU to invest in UK hazardous waste treatments, the ESA document said. But, Mr Hazell warned: “Regulation is vital to push investment.”
Deadlines
The deadline for submission of landfill site conditioning plans which classify sites as hazardous, non-hazardous or inert is 16 July. After this date, sites will not be allowed to take corrosive, oxidising, flammable or infectious clinical waste and hazardous sites will be forbidden from accepting liquid waste.
In 2004, co-disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste will end. The Landfill Directive waste acceptance criteria for hazardous landfills are also due to be in place by 2004, but industry insiders say it is unclear whether the government is planning to meet this deadline.
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