HC Deb 11 June 1974 vol 874 c527W
Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to make it mandatory for local authorities to separate paper, tin and bottles from other rubbish so that they may be recycled.

Mr. Oakes

Clause 2(2)(e) of the Control of Pollution Bill proposes a duty for the waste disposal authority to consider the scope for reclamation of materials from waste when drawing up its waste disposal plan. Provision is also made in Clause 14(2) of the Bill for a collection authority, with the agreement of the disposal authority, to process waste for the purpose of reclaiming substances from the waste. It must be for each local authority to decide the way in which these powers are exercised, having regard to such matters as geography, proximity to potential users of recycled materials, availability of manpower and allocation of resources to the waste collection and disposal services within the locally determined sector.