HC Deb 17 September 2004 vol 424 cc1797-8W
Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the latest available 12 month figures are for the proportion of the Department's redundant documentation, waste paper and card that is recycled; and if he will make a statement on the Department's recycling policy. [188695]

Mr. Pond

The latest figures for waste are for 2003–04. The following figures show the total amount of waste generated from DWP offices (where data is available) and the amount of that waste that is recycled. All our recycled waste shown in this table is paper or cardboard, although other currently unmeasured recycling takes place on furniture and fluorescent tubes.

Tonnes
Total Waste Arisings 25,834
Total Paper/Card Recycled 13,015

The Department is working to reduce the total amount of waste that it produces, by developing Waste Minimisation plans within each area of the business. At the same time, In accordance with its Sustainable Development Policy Statement, the Department is working with our Estates Partner (Land Securities Trillium) to extend existing recycling facilities for paper products, increase recycling of estate based waste, and consider the potential for recycling other waste streams such as plastics and aluminium cans.