HC Deb 17 December 2002 vol 396 cc690-1W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the(a) number and (b) total size is of planned landfill sites in the United Kingdom; and when each is expected to begin operations, broken down by region. [85893]

Mr. Meacher

[holding answer 11 December 2002]: Waste Strategy 2000 recognises that landfill will still have a role to play in any sustainable waste management system, but that it will be a much smaller role.

Local authorities should take into account the landfill diversion targets required by the landfill directive to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable waste across the United Kingdom by around two-thirds in line with the timetable set out in the directive (i.e. by 2016, should the UK decide not to take advantage of the final four-year derogation) and the recycling and recovery targets set out in WS2000.

Information on the number of planned landfill sites is not available centrally.14 November 2002