HC Deb 19 December 1995 vol 268 cc1098-9W
Ms Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the number of tonnes of(a) inactive waste and (b) other waste, collected by local authorities in England and Wales and disposed of to landfill, in each year since 1990; [6821]

(2) what is the forecast number of tonnes of (a) inactive waste and (b) other waste, which local authorities in England and Wales will collect and dispose of to landfill, in each year from 1995 to 2000; [6822]

(3) what is the expected total amount of money that local authorities in England and Wales will pay in landfill levy in each year from 1996 to 2000; [6823]

(4) what is the current range of landfill costs per tonne in England and Wales; [6825]

(5) what assessment has been carried out by his Department into the price elasticity of demand for landfill. [6890]

Mr. Clappison

Local authorities are responsible for the collection and disposal of household and commercial waste. The Government's strategy for sustainable waste management, published last week, records that the estimated annual arisings for household and commercial waste in the United Kingdom are 35 million tonnes. Around 90 per cent. of household waste and 85 per cent. of commercial waste currently go to landfill. Very little of this is likely to fall within the definition of inactive waste. Figures are not available centrally on an annual basis.

Local authorities are responsible for meeting the cost of disposing of the 20 million tonnes of household waste produced each year. They are able to recover the cost of disposing of the 15 million tonnes of commercial waste from the producers of the waste. Assuming that the full amount of landfill tax is passed on to local authorities by landfill operators, the cost of disposing of the proportion of the 20 million tonnes of household waste that goes to landfill would increase by about £126 million. As the landfill tax and other policies in the Department's strategy for sustainable waste management will act as incentives to move away from landfill, we would expect this figure to fall over a period of time. Local authorities will also benefit from a reduction of 0.2 per cent. in the main rate of employer national insurance contributions in 1997–98, as part of the Government's policy of moving business taxation away from employment towards activities which damage the environment.

A study published by the Department shows that in April 1993 the cost of landfilling domestic and commercial waste ranged from £5 to £30 per tonne. Prices varied according to the type of waste and the location of the landfill site. Prices have risen since then, partly as a result of the implementation of the more stringent licensing regime under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The price elasticity of demand for landfill depends on the suitability and availability of alternative waste management practices. This will vary to some extent across the country and between different types of waste. It will also vary over time as the practices of waste producers and handlers change to reflect policies contained in the waste strategy.

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