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

derived from waste materials and aim to encourage the demand for secondary
aggregates. This alone would be unlikely to be effective at increasing the market
share of recycled aggregate, and strongly relies on fiscal measures such as the
landfill tax and tax on aggregates, in order to have an impact through encouraging the
supply of the material and demand for it.
47.10 Effect of the Policy on Pricing of Resources / Services
Due to a lack of evidence this can only be answered speculatively. It is thought that
ensuring standards are the same across all types of aggregates will encourage a shift
towards greater use of recycled aggregate. This is because the price which recycled
aggregate can attract in the market will no longer be so heavily discounted relative to
primary material (since it would be considered as being of an equivalent standard to
primary aggregate). This economic assessment makes the assumption that the social
stigma associated with recycled aggregate is removed by introduction of the product
standard.
47.11 Evasion and Enforcement
At this relatively early stage implementing product standards as a policy there is very
little information regarding enforcement, and any potential action that may be taken if
non-compliance is detected. It is only known that, as is the case in the Netherlands, it
is most likely to be local authorities who are responsible for enforcement of the
standards.
47.12 Lessons Learned
Going forward, the International Recycling Federation is striving towards harmonising
quality standards for recycled materials. There are varying levels of implementation of
product standards throughout the countries mentioned, many of which are purely
voluntary initiatives. However, there seems to considerable support from industry
which ought to help to drive forward the standards onto a firmer, statutory footing.
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