§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recommendations have been made by the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment on landfill pricing; when their recommendations were made; what action has been taken; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThe Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment recommended in October 1991 that the price of landfill in the United Kingdom should be increased significantly to levels obtaining elsewhere in the EC. In our response in October 1991, we pointed out that the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was already having an upward impact on landfill prices. However, we agreed to re-examine landfill pricing and have undertaken a programme of work since then. On 9 February this year, I announced the publication of a consultants' report for the Department, "Landfill Costs and Prices: Correcting Possible Market Distortions". We have invited comments on the report by 26 March 1993. We will then consider whether to introduce one or more economic instruments for solid waste.
§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average gate fee for municipal solid waste disposed to landfill in the United Kingdom; and what information he has about gate fees obtaining in other member states of the European Community.
§ Mr. MacleanThe report published by my Department last month, which examines the possibility of a levy on waste going to landfill, indicates that the costs of landfilling municipal solid waste in this country range from £5 to £30 per tonne. Comprehensive information is not held about gate prices for municipal solid waste disposal in other member states of the European Community. Prices in some countries are thought to be below the minimum figure for this country. Prices in those countries which have introduced a tax on waste going to landfill are considerably higher than the maximum for this country.
§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average gate fee for municipal solid waste disposal to landfill in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made as to whether that price fully reflects(a) the cost of compliance with the existing pollution control regime, (b) the cost of damage to the environment and harm to human health and (c) the position of landfill in the waste management hierarchy as the disposal route of last resort.
§ Mr. MacleanThe prices charged for municipal solid waste disposed to landfill are set by the operators of individual sites. In determining prices, operators will take account of the conditions imposed through the licensing regime which require measures to be taken in order to prevent disposal operations causing pollution or harm to human health.
184WWaste management in this country takes place within a legislative framework which ensures that each operation is strictly controlled so as to avoid pollution or harm to human health. Within this framework, market forces currently generally determine the disposal option for waste destined for final disposal. In the 1992 Environment White Paper, the Government indicated that they would in future make a presumption in favour of using economic instruments to achieve environmental objectives. As part of our programme of work to explore the use of economic instruments, we have recently published a report which examines the idea of placing a levy on waste going to landfill.
§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of municipal solid waste is disposed to landfill in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on practice in other member states of the European Community.
§ Mr. MacleanThe United Kingdom produces about 20 million tonnes of municipal waste each year of which about 85 to 90 per cent. is currently disposed to landfill. Landfill has historically been the principal waste disposal route for most European countries. Other countries do not benefit from the geology that makes landfill an environmentally sound disposal option in the United Kingdom. Some are now reducing their dependence on landfill although it continues to be a major means of waste disposal for most states. Information produced by the statistical office of the European Communities shows that the proportion of municipal waste disposed to landfill by other member states is as follows:
Per cent. Belgium 50 Denmark 53 Germany 66 Greece 98 Spain 77 France 45 Ireland 100 Italy 31 Luxembourg 30 Netherlands 55 Portugal 28