HC Deb 27 November 2002 vol 395 cc284-5W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has collated on recycling rates within the OECD for(a) glass, (b) plastic and (c) total waste stream in each year since 1990. [81591]

Mr. Meacher

[holding answer 20 November 2002]: The United Kingdom contributes statistics on waste arisings and recycling rates to the OECD every two years. These are published in "OECD Environmental Data". The most recent publication detailing these figures for OECD countries is 1999. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has contributed more recent figures but these have not yet been published. The relevant pages for glass are detailed in the table. Figures are not available for plastic or total waste recycled.

Waste recycling rates, glass, 1990–97
Percentage of apparent consumption
Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Portugal 27 29 31 29 32 42 42 44
Spain 27 27 27 29 31 32 35 37
Sweden 44 58 59 56 61 72 76
Switzerland 65 71 72 78 84 85 89 91
Turkey 31 28 25 23 22 12 13 20
UK 21 21 25 27 27 26 26 26
Slovak R. 40

Notes:

Recycling is defined as reuse of material in a production process that diverts it from the waste stream, except for recycling within industrial plants and the reuse of material as fuel. The recyling rate is the ration of the quantity collected for recycling to the apparent consumption (domestic production + imports—exports).

CAN Packaging glass only.

MEX Recycling rates are based on amounts of waste generated and refer to municipal waste only.

USA Data refer to the material diverted from the municipal waste stream; recycling rates are based on amounts of waste generated.

JPN Returnable bottles are excluded; data refer to reuse of glass as cullet compared to national production of glass bottles.

NZL Packaging glass only.

FRA Amounts collected as a percentage of apparent consumption (FEVE)

DEU 1990:Western Germany only; 1991 onwards: total Germany; recycling is based on total sales.

NLD Glass collected in bottle banks as percentage of sale of products in disposable glass on domestic market.

NOR Excludes considerable amounts of glass recovered before entering the waste stream (deposits/reuse of bottles).

UKD Great Britain only; glass collected in bottle banks and from industrial sources (bottlers and packers) and flat glass.

Source:

"OECD Environmental Data, Compendium 1999", OECD 1999