§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the steps she is taking to promote composting. [142343]
§ Mr. MorleyDefra has set up the Waste Implementation Programme (WIP) to help local authorities meet their targets for reducing the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste under the Landfill Directive. One of WIP's programmes being taken forward by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is to promote kerbside recycling and composting best practice in local authorities.
This sub-programme has two components:
- A Recycling and Organics Technical Advisory Team (ROTATE) which will provide technical advice to local authorities needing to implement and improve kerbside recycling, with an emphasis on organics collections systems. This is supported by £14.9 million over the next three years.
- An Organics Materials Programme which provides material-specific support and investment to the growing composting sector. It aims to develop markets in compost, with headline targets of increasing the market share of compost in the landscaping and horticultural markets by 35 per cent. and 30 per cent. respectively, by end 2006. This is supported by £12.2 million over the next three years.
These targets will be achieved through a range of activities including:
development of compost standards;
business development initiative for emerging compost companies;
marketing and product development targeted at the landscaping and horticultural sectors.
Defra also provides £272,000 over three years to the Composting Association to raise awareness and increase the understanding of composting and uses of compost.
In addition, Defra's Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund has supported composting schemes run by local authorities. In 2003–04, 21 green waste-only kerbside schemes and five composting site developments received funding.