§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what grounds a local authority can refuse to take away used white goods where no other form of waste disposal exists. [17888]
§ Mr. MeacherWaste collection authorities can refuse to take away only those used white goods that are classified as 'commercial' waste. They may arrange to collect and dispose of such waste, if approached by commercial traders, but they are not obliged to. Waste collection authorities have a statutory duty to arrange for the collection of household waste. However, they are entitled to impose a charge for collection for certain items, set out in Schedule 2 to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992.
Waste disposal authorities have a statutory duty, under section 51(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to provide reasonably accessible sites where householders can dispose of their waste free of charge but they may restrict the availability of specified sites to specified descriptions of waste.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department has received from(a) retailers, (b) local authorities and (c) environmental groups regarding EC Regulation 2037/2000 and its implementation in the UK. [17891]
§ Mr. MeacherMy Department has received a number of representations from retailers, local authorities and environmental groups concerning EC Regulation 2037/2000. More recently we have received representations regarding the collection and disposal of domestic fridges and freezers from retailers and local authorities, in particular through a number of stakeholder meetings, hosted by DEFRA and DTI.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that there are alternative recycling routes for used fridges and freezers. [17900]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Department, and the DTI, have hosted a number of stakeholder meetings to discuss the maintenance of existing systems for householders wishing to dispose of old fridges and freezers. Local authorities have statutory duties to accept and collect household waste, including bulky waste.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many used fridges and freezers have been taken back for recycling by UK retailers in 2001 prior to 17 November. [17893]
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§ Mr. MeacherMy Department does not hold this information. We would estimate that 1.3 million fridges and freezers have been taken back by UK retailers in 2001 prior to 17 November. However, we do not know what proportion was recycled.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to build a recycling plant capable of removing CFCs from fridges and freezers under EC regulation 2037/2000. [17892]
§ Mr. MeacherI understand that a number of commercial companies intend to invest in plant in the UK.
§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress is being made in respect of(a) finalising measures to manage waste refrigeration equipment and (b) announcing assistance and advice for local councils consequent upon the impact of EC regulation 2037/2000. [18556]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 28 November 2001]: The Department has written to all local authorities in England informing them of the requirements regarding the recycling/disposal of fridges under the regulation. A further letter will be issued shortly to remind local authorities of their obligations to receive and collect waste refrigeration equipment from householders. Guidance on storage of waste refrigeration equipment has been issued in draft. An announcement, on financial assistance for local authorities, will be made shortly.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance has been issued to local authorities informing them of their obligation to meet EC regulation 2037/2000 when storing and recycling used goods. [17889]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Department wrote to all local authorities in England informing them of the provisions of the regulation. A further letter will be issued to remind local authorities of their obligations to receive and collect waste refrigeration equipment from householders. Guidance on storage of waste refrigeration equipment has been issued in draft and will be finalised shortly.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is taking to ensure that the UK conforms to EC regulation 2037/2000. [17895]
§ Mr. MeacherMy Department and the DTI have published three guidance booklets covering the requirements of EC regulation 2037/2000. More recently both Departments have hosted a number of stakeholder meetings to discuss the management of waste refrigeration units. My Department has been liaising with the Environment Agency to develop guidance on the standards for extracting CFCs form insulation foam in fridges, and on the storage of waste fridges and freezers, pending treatment. Draft guidance on these issues has been issued and will be finalised shortly. A statutory instrument to assign regulatory functions and to set out offences penalties has been drafted and is expected to come into force in the new year.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she has issued on the safe disposal of goods containing CFCs as required by EC regulation 2037/2000. [17901]
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§ Mr. MeacherMy Department has already issued draft guidance on the extraction of CFCs from fridges and freezers, and draft guidance on the storage of waste refrigeration equipment, prior to CFC extraction. These will be issued in final form shortly. Information for householders on safe disposal of fridges and freezers will also be issued.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with European recycling plants in preparation for the implementation of EC regulation 2037/2000 on 1 January 2002. [17894]
§ Mr. MeacherOfficials from the Department have had a number of meetings with representatives from a recycling company in Germany. Representatives of the German industry more recently attended the stakeholder meetings hosted by DEFRA and have been consulted on draft guidance and standards for CFC removal.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she has issued to local authorities on the maximum charges that can be levied on consumers for collecting bulky appliances from private residences. [17890]
§ Mr. MeacherNo advice has been issued to waste collection authorities on the maximum charges that can be levied on consumers for the collection of bulky appliances from private residences. Charges are to be set to recover a local authority's costs but not to make a profit and are a matter for the authority concerned.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding is being made available for local authorities to re-process end-of-life refrigerators under the Draft Environmental Protection (Control of Ozone Depleting Substances) Regulations 2001. [18173]
§ Mr. MeacherAn announcement on financial assistance for local authorities will be made shortly.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the storage facilities that local authorities, as waste disposal authorities, will need in order to re-process end-of-life refrigerators under the Draft Environmental Protection (Control of Ozone Depleting Substances) Regulations 2001. [18172]
§ Mr. MeacherLocal authorities will need to store waste refrigeration units until suitable processing facilities come on-line. The number that will require storage prior to recycling is dependent on the construction of suitable facilities for the recovery of ozone depleting substances. Some of these could be operational as early as spring 2002. Guidance on the storage of waste refrigeration units has been issued in draft and will be finalised shortly.