HL Deb 06 March 1995 vol 562 c6WA
Lord Brougham and Vaux

askedHer Majesty's Government:

If, bearing in mind their commitment to sustainability in environmental management, they intend to produce guidance on the design, construction and operation of landfills.

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater):

Landfill is the predominant method of waste disposal in this country, and will remain of major importance as far into the future as we can see. Landfills, unless they are properly designed, built and operated, can have a major impact on the atmosphere, the soil and the water supply. Unless we ensure that landfill uses the best possible techniques, we shall have failed the test of sustainability.

We are therefore publishing today a consultation draft of Waste Management Paper 26B, Landfill design, construction and operational practice. The draft paper has been prepared by consultants. They have drawn extensively on the waste management industry's experience of landfill techniques, on the waste regulators' particular skills, and on their own specialised knowledge of landfill engineering as a technical discipline.

The consultation period will be until 10 May 1995. Subsequent to the results of the consultation, Waste Management Paper 26B should be published in late summer 1995.