§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans the Government have to encourage the development of secondary markets for recyclables; and if he will make a statement. [61497]
§ Mr. MealeThe Government believe recycling is critical to the task of making our waste management more environmentally acceptable, and we are committed to a substantial increase in the role it plays in this country. We are currently reviewing our national waste strategy and will publish a draft in Spring 1999, at which point further comments will be invited from all parties. The final version of the new waste strategy will be published as a Command Paper, and adopted by the Government, before the end of 1999.
My Department is considering the measures that could be taken to enhance the markets for recycled materials, including new or extended use of economic instruments, and whether Government and other high profile organisations should take more of a lead in specifying high recycled content and environmental standards for the products they purchase.
As part of this work, we have commissioned a research project to investigate market failures in the demand for secondary materials. In addition, we have set up a Market Development Group to identify the barriers to expanding the markets for recycled materials and to develop practical proposals to help overcome them. Advice from the research project and the report of the Market Development Group will feed into the draft new waste strategy in Spring 1999.