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

The desire to improve recycling performance on the part of WCAs is over-shadowed by
the desire of WDAs to ensure that they comply with the terms of the Landfill
Allowances Scheme under which they are operating. This relates to the mechanisms
for implementing sanctions. These exist for the LASs (in the form of fines), but not for
the recycling targets, though the administrations apply mechanisms which make
achieving recycling targets likely to draw in additional funding from central
government.
55.2 Timetable
The underpinning work for the LAS was a review of policy options carried out for Defra
in 1999. 1017 This led to the issuing of a consultation document in the same year,
Limiting Landfill, which set out policy options for compliance with the Landfill
Directive, responses to which favoured a scheme similar to the one which
subsequently emerged. 1018 A further consultation was carried out in 2001. 1019
However, although it was widely accepted that the scheme would enter into force,
details were not agreed until 2004. The Waste and Emissions Trading Act (2003) was
given further substance by the Landfill Allowances and Trading Scheme (England)
Regulations 2004, and similar documents (listed below) for the other devolved
administrations, these having been consulted upon in the countries concerned.
813
� The Landfill Allowances Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2005
� The Landfill Allowances Scheme (Wales) Regulations 2004
� The Landfill Allowances Scheme (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2004
The LASs ‘went live’ on April 1 2005.
55.3 Key Organisations Involved in Implementation and
Management
The principal players are:
� The WDAs themselves;
� The regulators (the Environment Agency, SEPA and the Environment and the
Northern Ireland Environment Agency), who act as auditors for the scheme,
reviewing data and the balances of allowances held by WDAs; and
� Defra, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government, and the
Department of Environment Northern Ireland, who are the allocating
authorities in their respective countries.
1017 D. Hogg (1999) Policy Instruments to Implement the Proposed Landfill Directive BMSW Targets,
Final Report to DETR.
1018 DETR (1999) Limiting Landfill, October 1999, London: HMSO. Devolved administrations carried
out similar consultations.
1019 DETR (2001) Tradable Landfill Permits Consultation Paper, March 2001, London: HMSO.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes