§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What advice they would offer to a waste collection or disposal authority that is currently achieving a recycling level of over 25 per cent if it wishes to encourage home composting of organic waste but is reluctant to do so because it needs to collect waste centrally in order to meet its 2005–06 recycling targets. [HL590]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)The advice would be that it should strive to improve its good record, using those sustainable waste management systems that suit local conditions. The possibility of allowing home composting to count towards recycling targets is under review, subject to finding methods to monitor it stringently and fairly.
§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress they are making in reconciling their desire to see organic domestic waste recycled by waste authorities with the difficulties posed by the Animal By-Products Order. [HL591]
§ Lord WhittyThe Government acknowledge that the composting of catering waste has an important role to play in helping local authorities to meet their recycling targets and the Landfill Directive targets to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste that goes to landfill. However, composting and biogas treatment of catering waste are effectively banned at present by the Animal By-Products Order 1999 (as amended).
Drawing on the results of a risk assessment commissioned by the department, a draft amending the Animal By-Products Order went out for public consultation on 20 November. The overall objective of this work is to develop a set of rules that will allow composting of catering waste to take place economically while fully protecting animal and public health.
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§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to give incentives to householders to participate in kerbside recycling schemes, or to penalise those who do not. [HL593]
§ Lord WhittyThe Cabinet Office Strategy Unit has recently completed a report on waste entitledWaste not, Want not which sets out a range of options including giving local authorities freedom to introduce incentive-based schemes for households to reduce waste and recycle more. These schemes could include, for example, council tax discounts or reward schemes for people who recycle or compost regularly or variable charging for household waste collection. Some local authorities have already introduced such incentive schemes. The Government are currently considering their response to the report.
§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to encourage at-home recycling as envisaged by Waste not, Want not and how they propose to adjust waste authority recycling targets to take into account success in at-home recycling. [HL594]
§ Lord WhittyThe only method of any significance for recycling in the home, apart from kerbside recycling, is home composting.
In Waste not, Want not the Strategy Unit recommended a three-year programme to help households compost at home as one way of reducing the amount of municipal waste produced. They also recommended that government develop proposals for best value indicators that incorporate success in reducing waste volumes. The Government are considering these recommendations and will be responding in due course.
Home composting indirectly affects local authority recycling rates by reducing the amount of waste that must be disposed of, thereby reducing the overall quantity that must be recycled.