§ Baroness Howe of Idlicoteasked Her Majesty's Government:
What environmental charges (such as landfill tax) are imposed on the newspaper industry; and, if any, whether these take account of the total number of pages each daily or weekend newspaper prints. [HL5888]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty):The Government are keen to encourage waste minimisation and to maximise recycling. We have a voluntary agreement with the Newspaper Publishers' Association which sets targets for the recycled content of its newspapers. It exceeded the target of 60 per cent by the end of 2001, and is on track to meet the future targets of 65 per cent by the end of 2003 and 70 per cent by the end of 2006.
Like any industry, the newspaper industry has to pay for the proper treatment and disposal of the wastes it produces. Whether this involves recovery of materials or disposal through landfill, the operator of the waste treatment facility would be entitled to charge for the service. As such charges generally relate to the tonnage of waste produced, they also relate to the size of the newspaper printer's operation. The Climate Change Levy provides businesses a further incentive to improve energy efficiency and reduce impacts on the environment.