The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is an independent professional body representing over 12,000 managers, and other professionals, in all sectors, who are responsible for the stewardship of environmental assets. CIWEM’s agreed purpose is to develop and promote better and integrated management of the environment; to foster a deeper understanding of water and environmental issues and to enhance the quality of people’s lives. This is achieved through CIWEM’s Royal Charter; education, training and professional development; dissemination of information; conferences and events; research and publications; contact with Government, agencies and other bodies; partnerships with other organisations; and the publication of Policy Position Statements (PPS).

Purpose

The purpose of this Policy Position Statement is to outline the main issues with respect to the Government’s waste strategy for England and Wales, the potential for achieving this and to indicate the implications for and role of CIWEM.

CIWEM’s Position on Waste Management:

• CIWEM endorses the development of waste strategies that do not harm the environment.
• CIWEM encourages the development of waste options that improve recycling rates in a manner that is economically viable, meets legislation and reduces resource use.
• CIWEM stresses the importance of waste strategies that are integrated at a national and local level to resolve conflicts in order to enable greater recycling to take place.

CIWEM’s aims and objectives relating to waste management are to:

• Ensure that waste management plans and contracts are sustainable in terms of financial viability, protection of the environment and resources consumed.
• Ensure that protection of the environment and public health is undertaken at every stage of design, development and operation of waste management facilities.
• Ensure that the Government develops coherent and integrated strategies for waste management at local, national and European levels.
• Promote the equal implementation of European Directives throughout both the UK and Europe in order to afford due consideration to the interests of the UK waste industry.

CIWEM welcomes the commitment of the Government to provide funding and work more closely with Local Authorities and agencies in educating and supporting the general public, communities and industry in good waste management practice. The Institution also urges environment and waste professionals to develop and use a language and terminology which the public will understand and which will help them apply good waste management practices in their everyday lives.

Background:

Context

Each year we as individuals and as a nation increase the waste we produce by an average of 3%. This waste must be disposed of in a manner which meets European and domestic regulations and causes minimal harm to the natural environment. The majority of domestic waste produced in England and Wales is either sent to landfill or for thermal treatment. These methods are seen as either being unsustainable, such as the filling of landfill void or are unpopular with the public, such as incineration. Neither method can really be classed as a recycling operation. As a consequence of the introduction of recycling targets, limited landfill void and negative public perception towards thermal treatment the Government produced a document entitled ‘A Way With Waste’, which set out to achieve greater levels of recycling of domestic waste in England and Wales.

Legislation for waste management is becoming increasingly stringent and more focused towards sustainability at both a European and national level. As a consequence waste management is becoming an ever more important issue at both a national and local level. The Government is committed to sustainable development in which environmental, economic and social objectives are integrated. As part of this commitment the Government published its waste strategy for England and Wales in 2000. This document set out ideas and goals for changing current practices for waste management in England and Wales. The document introduced the waste hierarchy of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The hierarchy along with the aims of the document was developed to try to increase sustainability of waste management and reduce the potential for damage to the environment.

Further European legislation, such as the Landfill Directive, the increase in landfill tax and the setting of statutory recycling targets for Local Authorities in England and Wales, now means that it is time to deliver on the commitment to improve waste management and develop more sustainable methods of treating and disposing of domestic waste.

Current situation

Statutory recycling targets for each Local Authority have been set and the Landfill Directive is in the process of implementation which is leading to the reduction of organic waste, including much domestic waste that was previously disposed of in landfill. Progressive targets for reduction of waste to landfill with deadlines have been set. It is up to each individual Local Authority how they achieve the reduction to landfill and increase recycling rates to meet their targets.

To date little real progress has been made to develop and implement waste strategies that achieve significantly greater recycling rates. A number of important issues including financial viability, regulatory control and public perception have prevented Local Authorities from taking significant steps forward to increase recycling.

Financial viability has been of one the main issues facing Local Authorities with regard to developing and implementing more sustainable waste strategies that achieve greater recycling. The collection, processing and treatment of waste to achieve recycling are generally greater in cost than the traditional method of landfill disposal. As a consequence Local Authorities have had to try and source additional funding for these schemes. Until the announcement of the £140 million DEFRA fund in 2002 there had been little financial support provided to increase recycling. The creation of this fund and the gradual rise in the level of landfill tax is helping to improve the financial viability of many recycling schemes and is enabling Local Authorities to finally be able to develop and implement schemes that make a significant difference to recycling rates.

Problems have also risen with the regulatory framework. For example, the planning process for new waste management facilities consists of conflicts at both a national and local level. These conflicts include authorities being unsure of responsibilities, increased levels of administration and a lengthy disjointed process meaning that it can take many years for permission to be granted to construct a new facility. Increasingly stringent legislation is also hindering development. Another example where legislation is preventing steps from being taken is the Animal By-Products Order relating to the composting of catering waste. This is having a large impact on the composting industry and the construction and operation of new composting facilities.

At the same time public awareness has increased substantially with respect to environmental and waste issues, leading to the public having a powerful influence on new waste management facilities. For example, energy from waste or incineration was seen as one of the most viable methods to help increase recycling rates and reduce waste to landfill. However, increasing public concerns over the safety of these facilities and negative publicity through the media and environmental pressure groups now means that it has become increasingly difficult and time consuming to get permission to construct a new plant. This type of public pressure is now being felt in other sectors of the waste management industry including composting and recycling.

This situation is resulting in increasing time and resources being required to design, plan and construct new waste management facilities which is slowing the achievement of mandatory recycling targets and diversion from landfill disposal.

March 2003