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Waste
The Government Office for the South West (GOSW) works closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to support Local Authorities to minimise the amount of waste sent to landfill.
England and Wales produce over 100 million tonnes of waste each year (excluding construction and demolition waste) – a figure which until recently has been growing at around 3 per cent annually. Waste cannot be eliminated but its environmental impact can be lessened by preventing waste where possible, and making more sustainable use of the waste, through recycling and designing products that use fewer materials and processes that produce less waste.
More information on the national picture
Waste Strategy for England
Defra published a new Waste Strategy for England in May 2007. There is a
strong emphasis on waste prevention with a new national target to reduce the
amount of household waste not re-used, recycled or composted by 45% by
2015.
New national recycling and waste recovery targets have been set:
• recycling and composting of household waste: at least 40% by 2010, 45%
by 2015 and 50% by 2020; and
• recovery of municipal waste: 53% by 2010, 67% by 2015 and 75% by
2020.
The Government’s key objectives in the strategy are to:
• decouple waste growth (in all sectors) from economic growth and put more
emphasis on waste prevention and re-use;
• meet and exceed the Landfill Directive diversion targets for
biodegradable municipal waste in 2010, 2013 and 2020;
• increase diversion from landfill of non-municipal waste and secure
better integration of treatment for municipal and non-municipal waste;
• secure the investment in infrastructure needed to divert waste from
landfill and for the management of hazardous waste; and
• get the most environmental benefit from that investment, through
increased recycling of resources and recovery of energy from residual waste
using a mix of technologies.
For more information on recycling and waste, and to view a copy of the
strategy, visit Defra’s Recycling and Waste webpage (link below).
The South West
The South West region’s household recycling rate was third highest in
England for 2008/9 at 42.3% up from 40.3% in 2007/8. The percentage of
municipal waste sent to landfill has decreased from 59% in 2007/8 to 56.4% in
2008/9 but remains above the national average of 50% (source: Defra).
The SW Regional Waste Strategy (launched in 2004) proposes how the region can
manage its waste more effectively and to realise the value of what is being
thrown away. The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (the outcome of which is
expected in 2010) will set a regional framework about where things go, what
scale of development should be and the links between broad issues. The final
RSS will set the regional context for planning in the region until 2026
including policy on waste treatment.
Links to both strategies can be found below. For further information on
waste issues in the South West, visit the Low Waste South West web page (link
also below).
Internet links
Contact information
Environment, Transport and Climate Directorate
Government Office for the South West
2 Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6EH
tel: 0117 900 1800
fax: 0117 900 1905
email: swenvironment@gosw.gsi.gov.uk
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