Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce the amount of flat glass going to landfill and (b) increase the quantity being recycled in the UK.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has funded Environment Agency/WRAP guidance on the proper collection and reprocessing of flat glass with the aim of increasing recycling rates. The Environment Agency is set to review this in May 2021.
The Environmental (England and Wales) Permitting Regulation 2016 includes a statutory permit condition for landfill and incineration permit holders, placing a restriction on plastic, metal, paper or glass separately collected for reuse or recycling from being accepted for landfill or incineration unless it is the result of treatment operations and delivers the best environmental outcome in accordance with the waste hierarchy.
Flat glass is a common waste product from construction and demolition. In the Resources & Waste Strategy 2018, we committed to increasing resource efficiency and minimising waste in the construction sector, through working with the Green Construction Board.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has modelled the financial effect on local authority budgets of including (a) glass and (b) aluminium drinks containers in a proposed Deposit Return Scheme.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's commitment to introducing a DRS is part of our commitment to reform producer responsibility systems to incentivise producers to take greater responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products.
The Government is keen to avoid any unintended consequences of introducing a DRS. We have consulted widely with industry stakeholders on the design and delivery of our proposed DRS and intend to continue engagement this year. An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the second consultation in 2021 which assesses the costs and benefits of a DRS, including the costs to business and the expected impact a DRS will have on kerbside recycling rates. No specific assessment has been made of the potential effect on food and drink manufacturers choosing to switch to plastic and other cheaper packaging materials as a result of the DRS. We intend to carry out a new burdens assessment to reflect the impact on local authority budgets stemming from the waste reforms policies, which will include DRS.
We recognise that the introduction of a DRS will remove in-scope materials from existing local authority waste streams as they become part of the DRS. However, we propose local authorities will be reimbursed for the costs incurred in managing any DRS materials that do still end up in these waste streams where consumers choose to forego the deposit on containers. Funding options for local authorities in this scenario are explored further in our forthcoming consultation.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect on food and drink manufacturers choosing to switch to using (a) plastic and (b) other cheaper packaging materials in the event that a proposed Deposit Return Scheme includes provision for glass drinks containers.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's commitment to introducing a DRS is part of our commitment to reform producer responsibility systems to incentivise producers to take greater responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products.
The Government is keen to avoid any unintended consequences of introducing a DRS. We have consulted widely with industry stakeholders on the design and delivery of our proposed DRS and intend to continue engagement this year. An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the second consultation in 2021 which assesses the costs and benefits of a DRS, including the costs to business and the expected impact a DRS will have on kerbside recycling rates. No specific assessment has been made of the potential effect on food and drink manufacturers choosing to switch to plastic and other cheaper packaging materials as a result of the DRS. We intend to carry out a new burdens assessment to reflect the impact on local authority budgets stemming from the waste reforms policies, which will include DRS.
We recognise that the introduction of a DRS will remove in-scope materials from existing local authority waste streams as they become part of the DRS. However, we propose local authorities will be reimbursed for the costs incurred in managing any DRS materials that do still end up in these waste streams where consumers choose to forego the deposit on containers. Funding options for local authorities in this scenario are explored further in our forthcoming consultation.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has modelled the potential effect on levels of kerbside recycling rates in the event that a proposed Deposit Return Scheme includes provision for glass drinks containers.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's commitment to introducing a DRS is part of our commitment to reform producer responsibility systems to incentivise producers to take greater responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products.
The Government is keen to avoid any unintended consequences of introducing a DRS. We have consulted widely with industry stakeholders on the design and delivery of our proposed DRS and intend to continue engagement this year. An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the second consultation in 2021 which assesses the costs and benefits of a DRS, including the costs to business and the expected impact a DRS will have on kerbside recycling rates. No specific assessment has been made of the potential effect on food and drink manufacturers choosing to switch to plastic and other cheaper packaging materials as a result of the DRS. We intend to carry out a new burdens assessment to reflect the impact on local authority budgets stemming from the waste reforms policies, which will include DRS.
We recognise that the introduction of a DRS will remove in-scope materials from existing local authority waste streams as they become part of the DRS. However, we propose local authorities will be reimbursed for the costs incurred in managing any DRS materials that do still end up in these waste streams where consumers choose to forego the deposit on containers. Funding options for local authorities in this scenario are explored further in our forthcoming consultation.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average length of time was for the Environment Agency to process a waste permit application from point of first application to final determination in each of the last two years; and what proportion of waste permit applications took longer than six months to process.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency prepares data for reports by Financial Year and this response includes information between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2020.
Cumulatively, over the last two years, 6.3% (166 of 2,639) of waste permit applications took longer than 12 months to determine.
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, 6.5% (85 of 1,308) of waste permit applications took longer than 12 months to determine.
Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020, 6.1% (81 of 1,331) of waste permit applications took longer than 12 months to determine.
Cumulatively, over the last two years the average length of time taken to determine a waste permit application is 129 days. This is broken down by reporting year as follows:
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019 it was 131 days. Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020 it was 128 days.
Cumulatively, over the last two years 21.2% (560 of 2,639) of waste permit applications took longer than six months to determine. This is broken down by reporting year as follows.
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, 21.9% (287 of 1,308) of waste permit applications took longer than six months to determine.
Between 1 April 2019 and 3 March 2020, 20.5% (273 of 1,331) of waste permit applications took longer than six months to determine.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) length of potential delays in processing waste permit applications at the Environment Agency and (b) potential effect of those delays on investment in new waste processing facilities.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No assessment has been made of potential delays in processing waste permit applications at the Environment Agency or the potential effect of those delays on investment in new waste processing facilities. Each application is considered on its own merit and discussed with the individual applicant, and it is important they are assessed thoroughly.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of waste permit applications have taken longer than 12 months to process from point of first application to final determination in each of the last two years.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency prepares data for reports by Financial Year and this response includes information between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2020.
Cumulatively, over the last two years, 6.3% (166 of 2,639) of waste permit applications took longer than 12 months to determine.
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, 6.5% (85 of 1,308) of waste permit applications took longer than 12 months to determine.
Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020, 6.1% (81 of 1,331) of waste permit applications took longer than 12 months to determine.
Cumulatively, over the last two years the average length of time taken to determine a waste permit application is 129 days. This is broken down by reporting year as follows:
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019 it was 131 days. Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020 it was 128 days.
Cumulatively, over the last two years 21.2% (560 of 2,639) of waste permit applications took longer than six months to determine. This is broken down by reporting year as follows.
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, 21.9% (287 of 1,308) of waste permit applications took longer than six months to determine.
Between 1 April 2019 and 3 March 2020, 20.5% (273 of 1,331) of waste permit applications took longer than six months to determine.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether OECD countries have internal validation systems that ensure that imported plastic waste is treated for recycling purposes to a level equivalent to that of the UK.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has not assessed validation systems operated by other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for imports of waste. Movements of waste between countries of the OECD have been supervised and controlled under an intra-OECD Control System since 1992. The OECD Council Decision C(2001)107 FINAL provides a legal framework for the control of movements of wastes within the OECD area to ensure the environmentally sound and economically efficient recovery of wastes.
Countries apply to the OECD Council to become a member of the OECD. A technical review is then carried out to evaluate the country’s policies and practices and its ability to implement OECD standards, including the Council Decision that controls intra-OECD movements of waste. This review process will normally result in a number of measures a country must implement to demonstrate alignment with OECD requirements.
The UK cannot ultimately dictate how its waste is managed once that waste leaves the UK. There is a system of international rules on shipments which must be followed. UK businesses involved in the export of wastes are required to take all necessary steps to ensure that the waste they ship is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its shipment and during its recycling. Any operators found to be illegally exporting waste can face severe sanctions - from financial penalties to imprisonment for a period of up to two years.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which UK recycling plants are equipped to accept and recycle (a) PET plastic waste, (b) HDPE waste, (c) polyvinyl chloride waste, (d) polypropeline waste, (e) polystyrene waste and (f) low density polyethylene waste.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold this information. A list of accredited plastic reprocessors is available on the National Packaging Waste Database at the link below, but this does not provide details of the type of plastics dealt with by a site:
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to ensure that UK exports of plastic waste to OECD countries within the EU are not re-exported to non-OECD countries within the EU single market.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UN Basel Convention and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Council Decision (C(2001)107 FINAL) provide a system of international rules on waste shipments. These control regimes have been fully implemented in EU law through the EU Waste Shipment Regulations (Regulation (EC) 1013/2006). The EU’s control system for intra-EU shipments of waste is a shared regime that all EU member states must abide by. It does not draw a distinction between member states which are adherents to OECD Decision and member states which are not. Recent amendments made to the annexes of the Basel Convention will increase controls on the shipment of plastic waste. These will come into force globally on 1 January 2021.