§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the last available year, the amount of(a) paper and cardboard, (b) ferrous metals, (c) glass and (d) non-ferrous metals, including aluminium recovered as a percentage of consumption in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other EC nations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanIn 1990 the use of recycled materials as a percentage of consumption in the United Kingdom was as follows:
Percentage Glass 21 Paper and board 31 Aluminium1 12 Copper 47 Lead2 62 Tin3 57 Zinc 22 Ferrous metal 46 1 Excludes aluminium scrap which moves directly from the aluminium metal industry to other industries. 2 Relates to the actual quantity recovered, not the recycled scrap used in manufacture. 3 Includes in-house recycling of waste but excludes exports. Comparable figures for other EC countries are not readily available.
§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy for the eco-labelling scheme to require a minimum requirement of recycled material content.
§ Mr. MacleanCriteria for the award of a European eco-label will be decided by the EC Regulatory Committee, which comprises representatives of the Commission and member states, after consultation with interested groups. The proposal for criteria put to the committee will be based on a full cradle to grave analysis of all the environmental impacts of the product group and will, where appropriate, take account of the potential for requiring a proportion of recycled material.