The United Kingdom government has published a new strategy for cutting waste in England, with an emphasis on its role in tackling climate change and resource efficiency. As reported in the June 2007 issue of Warmer Bulletin, the UK government has opened consultation on allowing local authorities to introduce financial incentives for recycling and composting. Key objectives are to: Decouple waste growth from economic growth with more emphasis on reuse; Exceed the Landfill Directive diversion targets for biodegradable MSW; Get the most environmental benefit from that investment through increased recovery of energy from residual waste using a mix of technologies. Overall impact is expected to be an annual net reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions from waste management of at least 9.3 million tons of carbon dioxide. A greater focus on waste prevention will be done through a new target to reduce household waste not reused, recycled or composted from over 22.2 metric tons in 2000 by 29 percent to 15.8 metric tons in 2010, and 12.2 metric tons in 2020 - a reduction of 45 percent. Higher national targets have been set for composting of MSW - at least 40 percent by 2010, 45 percent by 2015, and 50 percent by 2020.
Main points of the new strategy are to: Incentivize efforts to reduce, recycle and recover energy from waste; Reform regulations to drive reduction of waste while reducing costs to participating businesses and regulators; Target action on feedstocks to improve economic outcomes; Stimulate investment in collection and markets for recovered materials; and Improve national and local governance with a clearer performance and institutional framework.
Kit Strange is editor of Warmer BuI- letin, which provides a worldwide information service on sustainable management of postconsumer wastes. He can be contacted at Warmer Bulletin, The British School, Otley Street, Sipton. North Yorkshire, BD23 IEP, UK. Email is bulletin@residua.com.
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