§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of his working party considering the disposal of awkward wastes in and around the home;
(2) what study he is making of the disposal of car oil.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsThe informal working group set up by my Department to consider the problem of disposal of awkward household wastes is made up of representatives of local authority associations, professional bodies and other Government Departments; two meetings have been held and it is expected that the Group will complete its work in the first half of 1973. Used sump oil is one of the wastes being examined.
§ Mr. Parkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on the progress being made to dispose of Great Britain's domestic waste.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsResponsibility for the collection and disposal of domestic refuse rests with local authorities. In order to achieve a comprehensive approach to the problems of waste disposal we are proposing in the Local Government Bill, now before Parliament, 49W to allocate responsibility for refuse disposal in England to the new county councils. Refuse collection, as a truly local service, will remain with the district councils. The report of the Department's Working Party on Refuse Disposal, published in 1971, recommended that the disposal of all solid waste should be co-ordinated over reasonably large areas and that tipping to land should be considered as a means of achieving planned land reclamation. The report including a code of practice for the controlled tipping of refuse and this was commended to local authorities in Circular 26/71. All existing authorities have been asked to carry out a survey of tips and other waste disposal facilities in their areas and to ensure that these are operated to the highest standards. In addition my Department is advised by a standing committee on research into the collection, storage and disposal of refuse.