International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

whilst initiatives for unsolicited mail and textiles were also mooted.
Finally, a Strategy Implementation Group was to be established to co-ordinate the
Strategy’s implementation.
6.4 Summary
Policy statements on waste management have blown somewhat ‘hot and cold’ where
waste prevention and recycling policy measures have been considered.
6.4.1 Waste Prevention
In the national documents, the following policies (or consideration thereof) relating to
waste prevention have been mentioned (and we indicate where they have been
implemented):
101
� Requiring businesses to conduct waste audits and implement waste reduction
programmes (not implemented);
� Promotion of re-use of non-packaging materials through, inter alia, use of
economic instruments and producer responsibility obligations (not
implemented);
� Mandatory re-use systems for packaging to be considered in appropriate
circumstances in order to ensure that the requirements under the Packaging
Directive are fulfilled (not implemented); and
� On non-packaging materials, National Waste Management Board to advise on
what practical measures can be taken to further encourage the re-use of nonpackaged
products (not implemented, National Waste Management Board
never established).
In addition, the following were mentioned:
� Establish a National Waste Prevention Programme (implemented);
� Education / provision of information (implemented);
� Waste exchanges were also highlighted as an approach to enhance re-use
(implemented locally);
� A target for home composting to be carried out at 35% of all households
(mentioned but not actively pursued);
� Charity shops were also the subject of some discussion (already in existence);
and
� Develop guidance on refurbishment and re-use of IT equipment, including
computers (in place).
The Biodegradable Waste Strategy expects great things from the National Waste
Prevention Programme, but little information was provided to indicate how it was
expected that this would generate the significant reductions in biodegradable
municipal waste, relative to trend, envisaged in the document.
A review of various policies and initiatives that have influenced household and nonhousehold
waste prevention can be found in other Annexes to the Policy Review. It
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes