§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many local authorities offer no facilities for the disposal of withdrawn pesticide products. [HL4834]
§ Lord WhittyWe do not know exactly how many local authorities offer no facilities for the disposal of withdrawn pesticide products. However, I understand that a survey in 2003 of county councils throughout Great Britain by the Pesticides Action Network indicated that about 58 per cent provided facilities at civic amenity sites for these products or offered collection facilities.
Where pesticides are discarded by households they are classified as household waste. Section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a statutory duty on local authorities to collect household waste and Section 51 of the 1990 Act requires waste disposal authorities to provide readily accessible places (usually known as civic amenity sites) where householders can bring items of household waste for disposal.
Defra will be writing shortly to all local authorities in England to remind them of their statutory obligations.