§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made since his statement in 1991 that the Government intended to bring forward legislation to introduce recycling plans with firm targets.
§ Mr. AtkinsSection 49 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which came into force on 1 August 1991, places a duty on waste collection authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to prepare and issue waste recycling plans. The Department's guidance emphasises the value of local targets in those plans, to supplement the Government's national target of recovering 25 per cent. of household waste by 2000. Authorities in England were asked to prepare draft recycling plans by 1 August 1992. Some 98 per cent. of those plans have been approved by the Department as meeting the statutory requirements.
A new waste management order for Northern Ireland is currently being prepared and will require district councils to provide recycling plans in line with section 49 of the 1990 Act.