Waste Strategy for England 2007
Sets out the UK Government’s strategy for managing waste and resources better. It illustrates what changes are needed to deliver more sustainable development. It also stresses that the UK must break the link between economic growth and increased waste.
It is estimated that only a third of the waste from industry and commerce is recycled or composted. Yet much more could be achieved. The target is to reduce the amount of commercial and industrial waste land filled to 85 per cent of the 1998 levels. In order to meet this target and tackle the growth in waste generation, UK businesses must put waste materials to better use.
A new Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is now helping to develop new and stronger markets for recycled materials and the promotion of an integrated approach to resource use.
EU Landfill Directive
Requires the UK to cut the amount of biodegradable municipal waste over the next 20 years to a third of the amount produced in 1995. The UK now has a strategy, including measures, to achieve the reduction targets.
End Of Life Vehicles (Producer Responsibility) Regulations 2005
Requires vehicle "producers" (i.e. those that manufacturer vehicles or import vehicles into the UK) to register with the Secretary of State and to satisfy targets for the collection and treatment of their vehicles when they have come to the end of their lives. Associated Regulations restrict the materials that new vehicles can contain.
Duty of Care
A law to ensure businesses take all reasonable steps to keep waste safe. Businesses passing waste to someone else must ensure they are authorised to deal with it safely.
The duty of care applies to anyone who produces or imports, keeps or stores, transports, treats or disposes of waste. It also applies to those who act as brokers and arrange these things.
The Registration of Waste Carriers
This 1992 legislation applies to the transportation of controlled wastes. Businesses transporting such wastes within the UK as part of a business or in any other way for profit, must register with the Environment Agency. Registration applies to companies, partners, the self-employed and brokers.
The Special Waste Regulations 1996
Special wastes are those that cause greatest harm to human health and the environment. Those involved in the production, transport and/or disposal of such wastes, the Environment Agency must be informed before any are moved.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997
The aim of this legislation is to ensure that the real environmental cost of packaging falls directly on those who produce or use it. Therefore, all businesses that handle packaging have a share in the responsibility all through the packaging chain, from production to retail. This means businesses with an annual turnover of over £2 million, owning or handling over 50 tonnes of packaging material each year, are legally obliged to recover and recycle a specific tonnage of packaging waste.
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
The WEEE regulations ensure that producers (manufacturers, importers, brand owners) and retailers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) pay for the proper collection and treatment of waste EEE.
For ordinary businesses, this means that producers of new EEE have to arrange for the free removal and appropriate treatment of like-for-like WEEE such as PCs, printers, copiers, fax machines etc., where this was placed on the market before August 13 2005. Subsequently, when this newly supplied equipment becomes WEEE, this should be removed free of charge by the original producer.
Tel: 020 7944 3000
www.defra.gov.uk
LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS
Waste Management, The Duty of Care, A Code of Practice
Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Stationary Office:
Tel 0207873 9090,
www.opsi.gov.uk
Guidance for anyone under the Duty of Care
Packaging catalogue to support the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 – Ready Reckoner
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
The Stationary Office
Tel 0207873 9090,
www.opsi.gov.uk
Designed to help businesses calculate the amount of packaging handled as required by the Packaging Regulations.
Special Waste Regulations 1996
Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DEFRA free literature
Tel 0870 1226 236
How the special waste regulations affect you, with reference to the relevant legal documents.
