Welsh councils object to statutory recycling targets

The plans would be put in place under a proposed law, known as a Measure, that was laid before the National Assembly for Wales in February (see letsrecycle.com story). As well as including powers for ministers to set the statutory targets, it also includes provisions for councils who did not meet them to be fined.

The targets are intended to give the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) the ability to enforce goals set out in its draft ‘Towards Zero Waste' strategy for Wales, such as a 70% municipal waste recycling and composting target for 2025 (see letsrecycle.com story).

However, the Welsh Local Government Association – which represents 22 local authorities in Wales – submitted evidence on Wednesday (April 21) to a National Assembly committee considering the general principles of the proposed legislation, in which it raised a number of concerns.

The deadline for evidence to be submitted is today (April 23).

Principally, the organisation questioned why targets were being considered for municipal waste as opposed to other sectors when the environmental imperative was the same. It also asked why they were needed when “good progress” in terms of increasing recycling and moving towards zero waste in Wales was already being made.

The WLGA also attacked the “dangerous precedent” by which the WAG had not considered other forms of intervention other than financial penalties if the targets were not reached. It claimed that while the WAG had indicated that penalties would only be used as a last resort, the heavy-handed approach could damage the government's relationship with local authorities in future.

Tim Peppin, director of sustainable development and regeneration for the WLGA, said: “We don't think statutory targets are necessary. We do already have a set of statutory waste targets in relation to the Landfill Allowances Scheme and recycling targets as a performance indicator would be more than adequate.”

The WLGA also warned that the proposed targets could encourage recycling above waste prevention, contrary to the waste hierarchy, and could penalise authorities where low recycling rates were associated with higher levels of deprivation.

In written evidence submitted to the Assembly, it said: “If residents choose not to make proper use of collection facilities – no matter how good these may be – it is unfair to penalise the local authority”.

‘Prescriptive'

Under the Measure, Welsh ministers are also proposing to establish other waste targets for councils such as limiting the amount of waste that can be sent for energy recovery – which the WLGA branded “overly prescriptive”.

It said: “Introduction of targets and penalties in relation to ‘means' rather than ‘ends' are a recipe for confusion – they could indeed change authorities' current practices, forcing them to change systems they have introduced and invested in (or are planning to).”

Response

In its evidence for the committee, the WLGA also gave its views on plans in the proposed Measure to create powers for ministers to introduce landfill bans or restrictions, impose a mandatory levy for single use carrier bags and introduce a fees and charging scheme for Site Waste Management Plans.

It said that, for all four proposals – including statutory recycling targets – voluntary agreements and existing arrangements would go a “long way” to achieving the intended aims.

WRAP Cymru

Also giving evidence on Wednesday was Waste & Resources Action Programme Cymru. As a government delivery body, the organisation could not comment on whether there was a need for the proposed Measure.

However, it did say it would expect that if statutory targets and financial sanctions were introduced, this would increase the priority given to recycling by local authorities and incentivise them to review their service and approach to local communications. It said that this would particularly be the case with local authorities in Wales that were performing least well.

It said: “The proposal to set the same percentage target for all local authorities is understandable given the ambition of the overall recycling targets. However, some authorities face more challenging circumstances and may need to make a greater effort, or require more support, in order to achieve these targets.”

Committee

Before it becomes law, the proposed waste Measure must pass through four stages in the National Assembly for Wales. It is currently in the first committee stage and the committee is due to report by June 25 2010 at the latest.