Recycling (Hansard, 13 September 2004)

§ Mr. Simon Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made towards meeting recycling targets of 25 per cent. of household waste by 2005. [187011]

§ Mr. Morley
All local authorities in England have been set challenging Statutory Performance Standards for 2003–04 and 2005–06 for the recycling and composting of household waste. Individual local authority targets combine to meet national targets as set out in Waste Strategy 2000 to recycle or compost 17 per cent. of household waste by 2003–04, and 25 per cent. by 2005–06.
In 2002–03, the household recycling and composting rate for England was 14.5 per cent., a 2 per cent. increase over 2001–02. This percentage rise represents a significant improvement compared with previous annual increases, which had tended to be around 1 per cent. (as measured by the Municipal Waste Management Survey).
The most recent evidence, offered by local authorities' unaudited Best Value Performance Indicator data for 2003–04, suggests that the 2003–04 national target of 17 per cent. will be met. The national target for 2005–06 remains a significant challenge but an achievable goal if the current rate of progress is maintained.
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§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage the recycling of plastic; and if she will list those local authorities which operate(a) kerbside and (b) other plastic recycling schemes.

§ Mr. Morley
[holding answer 8 September 2004]: All local authorities in England have been set challenging Statutory Performance Standards for 2003–04 and 2005–06 for the recycling and composting of household waste. The Government do not specify which materials local authorities are required to collect. The Statutory Performance Standards are weight based so initially local authorities are likely to recycle heavier materials. However, as recycling targets become increasingly demanding, local authorities are expected to target lighter materials such as plastics.
To make the recycling of plastic more economically attractive the Government-funded Waste Resources and Action Programme (WRAP) has developed a programme to expand markets for plastic recyclate. As a result of WRAP activity since 2001 in excess of 35,000 additional tonnes of plastic recycling capacity per year is either operational, under construction or otherwise committed.
According to the Municipal Waste Management Survey 2002–03 the following local authorities operated (a) a kerbside collection scheme, or (b) other plastic recycling schemes.
Local authorities operating a kerbside plastic collection scheme in 2002–03

Adur District Council

Alnwick District Council

Arun District Council

Aylesbury Vale District Council

Babergh District Council

Barking and Dagenham LB

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council

Bexley LB

Blaby District Council

Blyth Valley Borough Council

Bolton MBC

Bradford City MDC MBC

Braintree District Council

Breckland BC

Bristol City Council

Bromley LB

Broxtowe Borough Council

Castle Morpeth Borough Council

Charnwood Borough Council

Chelmsford Borough Council

Chester City Council

Chichester District Council

Colchester Borough Council

Dacorum BC

Dartford Borough Council

Daventry DC

East Hampshire District Council

East Lindsey District Council
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East Northamptonshii e Council

Eastleigh Borough Council

Elmbridge Borough Council

Exeter City Council

Fenland District Council

Gloucester City Council

Gosport Borough Council

Gravesham Borough Council

Hart District Council

Havant Borough Council

Hillingdon LB

Horsham District Council

Kerrier District Council

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council

Kingston-upon-Thames LB

Lancaster City Council

Leeds City Council MBC

Leicester City Council

Lewes District Council

Lichfield District Council

Lincoln City Council

London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Manchester City Council

Melton Borough Council

Mid Bedfordshire District Council

Mid Devon District Council

Mid Sussex District Council

Milton Keynes Council

New Forest District Council

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

North Devon District Council

North Dorset District Council

North East Lincolnshire Council

North Kesteven District Council

North West Leicestershire District Council

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Oldham MBC

Pendle Borough Council

Plymouth City Council

Poole BC

Purbeck District Council

Reading BC

Redbridge LB

Rochdale MBC

Rossendale Borough Council

Sevenoaks District Council

South Hams District Council

South Holland District Council

South Kesteven DC

South Norfolk Council

South Northamptonshire District Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

Southend-on-Sea BC

St. Albans City and District Council

Stafford BC

Stroud District Council

Swale Borough Council

Teesdale District Council
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Teignbridge DC

Thanet District Council

Three Rivers District Council

Torbay Council

Torridge District Council

Wellingborough BC

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

Worthing Borough Council

Wychavon District Council

Local authorities operating a non-kerbside plastic recycling scheme

Adur District Council

Alnwick District Council

Arun District Council

Aylesbury Vale District Council

Babergh District Council

Barking and Dagenham LB

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council

Bexley LB

Blaby District Council

Blyth Valley Borough Council

Bolton MBC

Bradford City MDC MBC

Braintree District Council

Breckland BC

Bristol City Council

Bromley LB

Broxtowe Borough Council

Castle Morpeth Borough Council

Charnwood Borough Council

Chelmsford Borough Council

Chester City Council

Chichester District Council

Colchester Borough Council

Dacorum BC

Dartford Borough Council

Daventry DC

East Hampshire District Council

East Lindsey District Council

East Northamptonshire Council

Eastleigh Borough Council

Elmbridge Borough Council

Exeter City Council

Fenland District Council

Gloucester City Council

Gosport Borough Council

Gravesham Borough Council

Hart District Council

Havant Borough Council

Hillingdon LB

Horsham District Council

Kerrier District Council

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council

Kingston-upon-Thames LB

Lancaster City Council

Leeds City Council MBC

Leicester City Council
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Lewes District Council

Lichfield District Council

Lincoln City Council

London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Manchester City Council

Melton Borough Council

Mid Bedfordshire District Council

Mid Devon District Council

Mid Sussex District Council

Milton Keynes Council

New Forest District Council

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

North Devon District Council

North Dorset District Council

North East Lincolnshire Council

North Kesteven District Council

North West Leicestershire District Council

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Oldham MBC

Pendle Borough Council

Plymouth City Council

Poole BC

Purbeck District Council

Reading BC

Redbridge LB

Rochdale MBC

Rossendale Borough Council

Sevenoaks District Council

South Hams District Council

South Holland District Council

South Kesteven DC

South Norfolk Council

South Northamptonshire District Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

Southend-on-Sea BC

St. Albans City and District Council

Stafford BC

Stroud District Council

Swale Borough Council

Teesdale District Council

Teignbridge DC

Thanet District Council

Three Rivers District Council

Torbay Council

Torridge District Council

Wellingborough BC

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

Worthing Borough Council

Wychavon District Council