HC Deb 06 January 2004 vol 416 cc263-5W
Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the change in heavy vehicle traffic with hazardous loads following the implementation of the Hazardous Waste Requirements of the Landfill Directive in July 2004. [144913]

Mr. Morley

My right hon. Friend sees the Secretary of State for Transport frequently during which a range of topics is discussed. From July 2004, hazardous waste going to landfill will have to be treated to reduce its volume and/or its hazardous nature, facilitate its handling or enhance recovery. Over time, implementation of the Landfill Directive will also encourage greater wasteminimisation at source.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of the Hazardous Waste Requirements of the Landfill Directive on residue disposal options for the metal recycling sector. [144914]

Mr. Morley

A number of very constructive meetings have been held with metals recycling interests to discuss disposal of residues. Those interests are also represented on the Hazardous Waste Forum. Options for dealing with residue disposal have been identified and these are being considered by the industry. As the Government is committed to reducing the UK's reliance on landfill, which makes little practical use of waste and is a missed opportunity to recover value from waste, it wishes to do all it can to encourage and support the recycling sector.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the top 20 producers of hazardous waste by mass; and what the extent is of their in-house disposal facilities. [144915]

Mr. Morley

The top twenty producers of hazardous waste by mass in England and Wales are listed below. The amounts involved are of waste consigned and therefore not going to in-house facilities. Data on waste going to in-house facilities is only held by the Environment Agency in an aggregated form.Airbus UK, Chester Baker Refractories, Worksop, Nottinghamshire Beckton Gas Works, London Blueprint, Portsmouth Castle Waste Services Ltd, Derbyshire Centre of Excellence, Rainham, Essex Fine Organics Ltd, Middlesbrough Former Gasworks, Cambridge Imco Recycling UK Ltd, Swansea Kane Haulage Ltd, Felsted Lattice Property, Bradford Milford Haven Dock, Dyfed Pembroke Dock, Dyfed Rugby Cement, Rugby Safety Kleen UK Ltd, Dinnington, Sheffield Solvent Resource Management Ltd, North Shields, Tyne and Wear Solvent Resource Management Ltd, Morecambe Taylor Woodrow Construction, Newcastle upon Tyne Waste Recycling Group, Sheffield Wyeth-Ayerst Ltd, Gosport, Hants

Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the actions taken to meet the hazardous waste requirements of the Landfill Directive by(a) her Department and (b) those departments which previously held responsibility. [144916]

Mr. Morley

Actions taken by this Department and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to implement the 1999 Landfill Directive in England on diverting waste from landfill includepreparation and issue of Waste Strategy 2000; six rounds of public consultation on aspects of the Landfill Directive; setting up four stakeholders groups—including the Hazardous Waste Forum, and the Landfill Directive Implementation Group which is looking at the implementation of the Council Decision on waste acceptance criteria; the Hazardous Waste Forum has published an action plan on the reduction and environmentally sound management of hazardous waste; guidance material issued by the Environment Agency; organising seminars and taking part in those organised by others (e.g. the Environmental Services Association and the Chemical Industries Association); bilateral meetings with a wide range of industry and other interests; commissioning research and other projects (either direct or though the Hazardous Waste Forum or the Environment Agency); setting up the Waste and Resources Action Programme to develop markets for recycled materials (so diverting waste away from landfill); introducing the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund to support projects that use waste materials (e.g. construction and demolition waste) to replace primary aggregates.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government is taking to ensure that small businesses do not dispose of hazardous waste in the domestic waste stream following implementation of the Hazardous Waste Requirements of the Landfill Directive. [144917]

Mr. Morley

The Hazardous Waste Forum is producing an action plan that includes educating waste producers on their responsibilities. The Environment Agency is responsible for regulating waste legislation and it too will seek to ensure that all producers of hazardous waste act in a responsible manner.

Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of hazardous waste was non-reactive in the last year for which figures are available. [144918]

Mr. Morley

This information is not available. The Environment Agency collects and records hazardous waste information that is provided by site operators. The Special Waste Regulations 1996 (as amended) do not require producers of special or hazardous waste to record whether or not waste being produced or disposed of is non-reactive.