§ Lord Fearnasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps are being taken to encourage local authorities to provide more facilities for the public to dispose of green waste in an effort to bring about recycling of such waste. [HL4686]
§ Lord WhittyThe Government strongly support composting as a way of getting value from biodegradable waste by improving soil quality and replacing non-renewable products such as peat. We 79WA are actively encouraging the composting of green waste—at home, at municipal civic amenity sites and when separately collected by local authorities.
The Government's Waste Strategy 2000 set a national target of recycling or composting 25 per cent. of household waste by 2005. To ensure that all local authorities contribute towards meeting this target we have set individual statutory performance standards for recycling and composting for all authoritites in England. Authorities are being asked, on average, to double recycling by 2003–04 and triple it by 2005–06.
We have provided additional financial support to local authorities for waste management. The Spending Review 2000 announced the framework for the Government's support to local authorities up to 2003–04. This included an annual increase in the revenue support to local authorities for environmental protection and cultural services (EPCS), which includes waste management services. By 2003–04 this support will have risen by £1.1 billion over the 2000–01 provision. Consistent with the general local authority financial framework, it is for individual local authorities to decide the proportion of their budget that should be directed to waste management work
The spending review 2000 also provided a £140 million household waste minimisation and recycling fund for local authorities to help them fund recycling and composting initiatives and meet their statutory performance standards.