Waste not want not - States Assembly

Current policies are failing to
tackle rising waste quantities
or to reduce the quantity of
waste going to landfill sites
3.7 Successive governments have recognised
the need to move to more sustainable forms of
waste management. Governments have
responded to this challenge by producing
framework strategies within which they have set
targets to move away from landfill and deliver
higher rates of recycling. Until Waste Strategy
2000, the targets were aspirational (and remain
so for non-municipal streams). However, in the
absence of a coherent mix of policy and
delivery instruments, successive targets have
not been met:
●
●
●
1990 – The Environment White Paper 24 – set
a target of 25% recycling by 2000. This has
not been met;
1995 – “Making Waste Work” 25 – the
recycling and composting rate for household
waste stood at 6%. This document reemphasised
the need to meet the 25% target
by 2000;
1999 – “A Way with Waste” 26 – recognised
that the 25% recycling/composting target
would not be met by 2000;
Waste Strategy 2000 also set a target of 25%
of household waste to be recycled/composted
by 2005/6. On current progress it will be
very difficult to achieve this.
3.8 England spends about 60% of the EU
average on waste management and disposal
(i.e. around 0.5% of GDP in the UK versus 1.0%
in the Netherlands) 29 and around 40% of those
at the leading edge of waste management
(Figure 4). Because of England’s reliance on
landfill, householders pay some of the lowest
rates for waste collection and disposal in Europe
– around £50 per year on average, 30 which is
roughly half the EU average and about 30% of
the rate of high performing countries. England’s
lower spend on waste per capita reflects both
the relative cheapness and the efficiency of
landfill. However, while some landfill will
justifiably continue to provide a disposal route
for certain wastes, 31 England’s current overreliance
on this form of waste disposal means
that significant environmental impacts are not
being captured in what households pay. The UK
has the same population as France and the
same GDP, but spends 50% less on municipal
waste management; France diverts 150% more
municipal solid waste from landfill than the UK. 32
●
2000 – Waste Strategy 2000 27 – set targets of
recycling or composting 17% of the
household waste stream by 2003/4. This was
translated into statutory targets for each local
authority. This is unlikely to be met as
performance in 2001/2 was under 12%. 28
A landfill site – photo courtesy of Hampshire County Council
24
Department of the Environment, This Common Inheritance: Britain’s Environmental Strategy, (1990)
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
25
Department of the Environment and Welsh Office, Making Waste Work: a strategy for sustainable waste management in England and
Wales, (December 1995)
26
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, A Way with Waste: A draft Waste Strategy for England and Wales (part
one), (June 1999)
27
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Waste Strategy 2000 for England and Wales, (May 2000)
28
Municipal Waste Management Survey 2000/01 op.cit
29
Kees Wielenga, FFact Management Consultants An alternative view from the Netherlands, 3rd ESTET Conference, (18 September 2002)
30
Taking into account central government grants and business rates. This is far less than households think (they estimate £200-£260
when asked). Waste Watch 1999 What people think about waste and MORI survey for the Environmental Services Association
31
Wastes which are not reusable, recyclable, compostable or flammable and have no other beneficial use
32
Hazell D, ESA, personal communication
28