Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what his policy is on his Department's rates of recycling of plastic, paper, metal and other products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) is committed to minimising the impact we have on our environment and supporting the UK Government’s Net-Zero commitment.
The OSSS does not own and is not the sole occupant of either of its buildings in London or Edinburgh. Dover House in London is leased from the Government Property Agency and Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh is leased from HMRC. The OSSS does promote and adhere to the recycling policies in both buildings.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on his Department's rates of recycling of plastic, paper, metal and other products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department for Transport (DfT) has made a formal commitment to increase its rates of recycling through the Greening Government Commitments (GGCs).
The GGCs for 2016-2020, which have been extended to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, ask departments to “continue to improve our waste management by reducing the overall amount of waste generated and increasing the proportion which is recycled.”
Between 2016 and 2021 DfT has delivered on these targets, reducing the total waste generated and increasing the percentage of waste recycled year-on-year, as outlined in the table below:
| 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 |
Total Waste (tonnes) | 4,522 | 4,403 | 3,955 | 3,010 | 2,110 |
% Recycled | 46% | 48% | 50% | 64% | 65% |
A new phase of GGCs for 2021-2025 is due to be published by Defra, which will set out updated recycling targets, which the Department for Transport will commit to deliver.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her policy is on her Department's rates of recycling of plastic, paper, metal and other products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As mandated by Cabinet Office, the Department support the Greening Government Commitments and report publicly on waste management targets. Significant efforts have been afforded to reducing and recycling waste across the Department Estate, to reduce the overall amount of waste generated.
One initiative is the phased installation of new recycling bins to the largest waste producing sites and associated signage/awareness campaigns. The bins provide an opportunity to separate out Dry Mixed Recyclables, which includes paper and plastic waste.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on his Department's rates of recycling of plastic, paper, metal and other products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
HM Treasury’s policy is to commit to achieving the Greening Government Commitments.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Independent - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the use of incineration as a method of waste disposal.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In December 2018, the Government published its Resources and Waste Strategy which outlines how we will work towards our ambitions of doubling resource productivity and producing zero avoidable waste by 2050. Introducing the Collection and Packaging Reforms are a key part of the policy measures required to meet the targets set in the Strategy, by helping to recycle more material and increasing the quality of the material being collected for recycling. Due to the combined impacts of consistent recycling collections, Extended Producers Responsibility for packaging and a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, we estimate that we will meet our commitment of a municipal waste recycling rate of 65% by 2035.
In addition, in October 2020 as part of the Circular Economy Package, we legislated through the Environmental (England and Wales) Permitting Regulations 2016 to include a permit condition for landfill and incineration operators, meaning they cannot accept separately collected paper, metal, glass or plastic for landfill or incineration unless it has gone through some form of treatment process first, and post treatment this is deemed to be the best environmental outcome. This is in addition to existing permit measures that already prevent the acceptance of recyclable material.
The above measures will reduce the levels of residual waste needing to be treated through incineration (including with energy recovery) or landfilled.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to announce whether (a) food and drink cartons and (b) plastic bags and film will be included in the core set of recyclable products collected by local authorities from 2023.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following support in response to the first consultation on increasing the consistency materials collected for recycling in England, the Environment Bill states that local authorities must make arrangements for a core set of recyclable waste streams to be collected from households. This core set includes: paper and card; plastic; metal; glass; food waste; and garden waste.
We are preparing to publish a second consultation on recycling consistency this spring, which will seek further views on the materials to be included under the definition of each recyclable waste stream, which will include seeking views on the inclusion of food and drink cartons, and plastic films. We will also seek further views on transition timelines for local authorities in the upcoming consultation.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to change the landfill tax of flat glass from the lower rate to the standard rate.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Materials liable for the lower rate of landfill tax, including glass, are listed in the 2011 Qualifying Materials Order. When assessing which materials are liable for the lower rate, the Government considers whether they are non-hazardous, have low potential for greenhouse gas emissions and have low polluting potential in the landfill environment. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/excise-notice-lft1-a-general-guide-to-landfill-tax/excise-notice-lft1-a-general-guide-to-landfill-tax#lower-rate-qualifying-material
The Government has no plans to change the landfill tax rate for flat glass, though continues to keep tax policy under review.
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: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's 2018 publication Our Waste, Our Resources: A strategy for England, when he plans to implement the proposals mandating a consistent approach between local authorities in England on kerbside collection of waste for recycling.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We consulted on recycling consistency reforms in 2019 and following support for these measures, the Environment Bill states that waste collection authorities in England must arrange for the collection of a core set of materials (glass; metal; plastic; paper and card; food waste; and garden waste) from households for recycling.
We will be seeking further views in an upcoming second consultation on recycling consistency, which will be published in spring 2021 and will include detail on transition timelines for local authorities. We want to implement recycling consistency as soon as is practically possible, taking into account factors including lead-in times for local authorities to procure vehicles and other capital goods and any existing contractual arrangements.
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: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of residual waste sent to landfill, incineration and transfer stations that could have been recycled in England in 2020.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The proportion of residual waste sent to landfill, incineration and transfer stations that could have been recycled in England in 2020 is not available.
Reporting of waste and recycling data for Local Authorities in England for the year 2020, while subject to delays due to Covid 19, will not be complete until later in 2021.
However, it will not be possible to provide detailed information on the amount of waste in the residual waste stream that could be recycled as data on waste arisings are not structured around the material composition of waste streams.
The Resources and Waste Strategy set out the government's intention to introduce three major waste reforms; consistency in recycling, extended producer responsibility and a deposit return scheme. These commitments will be delivered through the Environment Bill and will ensure that less recyclable waste will be sent to landfill or incineration in the future.
In October 2020 as part of the Circular Economy Package we legislated to include a permit condition for landfill and incineration operators, meaning they cannot accept separately collected paper, metal, glass or plastic for landfill or incineration unless it has gone through some form of treatment process first and is the best environmental outcome.