§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the London Boroughs that have produced recycling plans; and what actions he proposes to take in respect of those Boroughs that have not yet done so. [90350]
§ Mr. Meale[holding answer 12 July 1999]: Under section 49 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 all Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) are under a duty to have in place Waste Recycling Plans. In London, the London Boroughs are the WCAs. All London Boroughs produced recycling plans in 1992.
In March 1998, the Secretary of State directed all WCAs to investigate if their Recycling Plans needed updating. The Secretary of State does not have the power to direct WCAs to update their Recycling Plans.
In London, several Boroughs have submitted revised plans and most of the remaining Boroughs have indicated that they are presently revising their plans. Details are given in the following table:
134W
Borough Revised recycling plan approved Revised recycling plan expected City of London Yes — Barking and Dagenham — —4 Barnet — In preparation2 Bexley — Draft received Brent — In preparation3 Bromley Yes — Camden Yes —2 Croydon — In preparation Ealing — In preparation3 Enfield Yes In preparation2 Greenwich — In preparation1 Hackney — —2 Hammersmith and Fulham — No plans to issue revised plan Haringey — In preparation
Borough Revised recycling plan approved Revised recycling plan expected Harrow — In preparation3 Havering — —4 Hillingdon — —3 Hounslow — —3 Islington — —2 Kensington and Chelsea — In preparation, Summer 1999 Kingston upon Thames — In preparation, 1999 Lambeth — In preparation, Summer 1999 Lewisham — In preparation1 Merton — No plans to issue revised plan Newham — —4 Redbridge — Draft received4 Richmond upon Thames — Draft received3 Southwark — Draft received Sutton — In preparation, Summer 1999 Tower Hamlets — No plans to issue revised plan Waltham Forest — —2 Wandsworth Yes — Westminster — No revision planned at the moment 1 Greenwich and Lewisham are working on a combined municipal waste management strategy 2 North London Waste Authority and its constituent collection authorities (LBs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest) are working on a municipal waste management strategy 3 West London Waste Authority and its constituent collection authorities (LBs of Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames) are working on a municipal waste management strategy 4 East London Waste Authority and its constituent collection authorities (LBs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Redbridge) are working on a municipal waste management strategy
§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what requirements govern the extent to which county council waste local plans have to include a specific provision for waste incineration. [90853]
§ Mr. MealePPG23 requires local authorities to have regard to the following principles when drawing up their waste development plans
the best practicable environmental option for a particular waste stream in a particular location, which is in turn informed bythe proximity principle (dealing with waste as close to its source of generation as possible), andthe waste hierarchy, with an emphasis on waste reduction, re-use and recovery (both materials and energy) before waste disposal options are considered."A Way with Waste", the draft waste strategy for England and Wales published on 30 June 1999, gives greater detail on how waste management decisions should be taken at the local level. The strategy creates no obligation to include incineration within waste development plans. It recognises, however, that energy recovery, by a variety of routes, combined with high levels of recycling and composting, is likely to form part of a balanced and integrated plan.