HC Deb 14 February 1996 vol 271 cc623-4W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many registered landfill sites do not have weighbridges. [14791]

Mr. Clappison

My Department does not hold precise information about the number of landfill sites which do not have weighbridges. A sample survey conducted by the Environmental Services Association—the trade association representing 70 per cent. of the waste management industry by turnover—suggests that less than 10 per cent. of its members operate landfill sites which do not have weighbridges. The Environmental Services Association will conduct a further survey of its members later this year.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he estimates landfill demand will exceed capacity. [14792]

Mr. Clappison

My Department does not have precise information about when landfill demand might meet capacity, as this will depend largely on the availability of new void space from, for example, mineral workings. The White Paper "Making Waste Work" which was published in December explains thatOver the country as a whole, there appears to be adequate rate of generation of new void space for now, though there are divergent views on this, and further work is necessary to confirm and to quantify trends. In the longer term it is likely that some regions may begin to encounter shortages of suitable void space that can be used for landfill purposes, and there is some evidence that such shortages are already becoming apparent in the south-east region, for example.

Planning authorities must aim to meet the requirement that there is an adequate network of waste disposal facilities, including landfill sites, when drawing up their development plans. Further guidance on this will be contained in the planning policy guidance note on waste which the Department intends to produce by the end of the year.