Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the frequency of residual waste household collections on (a) public health and (b) local amenities.

Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, there is a duty on local authorities to keep land and highways clear of litter.

We recognise that as recycling services are expanded and improved under Simpler Recycling in England, local authorities may choose to review residual waste services to ensure they are providing the most appropriate service for local circumstances. The government’s priority is ensuring that households’ needs are met, and we expect local authorities to continue to provide services to a reasonable standard.

Defra recently published guidance to ensure that local authorities consider certain factors when they review services, to ensure that reasonable standards are maintained. These include ensuring that there are no disamenity impacts, such as the build-up of odorous waste at the kerbside or an increase in fly-tipping of residual waste.