London Wider Waste Strategy - London - Greater London Authority

3. Sources of advice and assistance
3.1. The array of bodies operating in London, with roles in promoting sustainable waste
management, is somewhat confusing to the outside observer and probably also
confusing to the businesses they are aiming to assist. These bodies include national
organisations, and organisations operating only in London.
3.2. The bodies described below provide facilitation, financial assistance, or other assistance
such as advice to promote sustainable waste management. To date, the greatest levels
of assistance have been provided where the waste materials concerned are from
municipal waste collections or where an operation is seen as a pilot or flagship for the
waste recycling and reprocessing industry. In other cases, such as recycling of metals
and paper from commercial and industrial sources and most recycling of construction
and demolition waste, there is little direct assistance to the businesses involved but a
range of other facilitation services may be available. There is also an emerging trend to
provide greater support for SMEs involved in recycling and reprocessing, in addition to
the larger operations which are typically associated with major waste sector businesses.
National bodies and initiatives
3.3. The following bodies operate nationally.
3.4. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established in 2001 to
promote sustainable waste management, in response to Waste Strategy 2000. WRAP
gained additional responsibilities following the Strategy Unit review of Waste Not, Want
Not. Funded by DEFRA, the DTI and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland, WRAP’s mission is “to accelerate resource efficiency by creating
stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products [and] removing barriers
to waste minimisation, re-use and recycling”.
3.5. WRAP’s Revised Business Plan (2004 – 2006) sets out the following work programmes: 6
• market development for six material streams (aggregates, glass, organics, paper,
plastics, and wood), with targets for increasing the national processing capacity for
each stream;
• business development in the recycling sector (a target of £10 million additional
investment per year) and provision of advice to businesses;
• promoting the procurement of recycled materials and products by local authorities
and target business sectors;
• regional market development for recycled materials;
• improvement of local authority recycling collections through training and advice;
• communication and awareness raising aimed at the public;
• promoting waste minimisation in households (through composting and reusable
nappies) and waste minimisation in the retail sector.
3.6. Envirowise is a government-funded programme offering free, independent advice on
environmental issues. It is operated by AEA Technology in Partnership with TTI on
contract to the Department of Trade and Industry with contribution from DEFRA. It was
started in the early 1990s and has saved businesses over £797 million 7 . At present it
6 This is a summary of the text in the Business Plan.
7 Source: Envirowise web-site www.envirowise.gov.uk
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