§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason glass, ceramics and metals, recovered after thermal and other industrial processing, cannot be included in recycling targets under the Audit Commission's best-value definition. [71176]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government encourages material recovery in all its forms. However in line with the waste hierarchy set out in the Waste Framework Directive and Waste Strategy 2000, the Government particularly wants to see a major increase in the primary recycling and composting of household waste rather than in landfill or incineration. The Government has therefore set local authorities statutory targets for the recycling and composting of household waste that exclude residues from incineration.