§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action his Department has taken to encourage the use of remanufactured goods; [26163]
(2) what plans he has to encourage investment and expansion in the remanufactured products industry. [26164]
§ Mr. AtkinsThe draft "Waste Strategy for England and Wales", published for consultation in January 1995, has opened up a wide debate to identify ways in which all of our waste can be managed in a more sustainable way including the promotion of recycling and manufacture using waste materials. Recycling rates reflect market forces including the costs of recyclate against virgin material, consumer preference and the way in which business buying specifications are set out. Several of the Government's policies set out in the strategy will help secure significant increases in recycling rates, and in particular the producer responsibility initiative which gives an incentive to businesses to increase the amount of recyclate which re-enters the productive loop.