Archived press release

Simple Solutions to Waste Crisis

19 November 2001

Press Release

Advance Notice Monday 19th November 2001

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO WASTE CRISIS

Waste Summit must maximise recycling to cut out incineration

At the Government's Waste Summit on Wednesday 21st November, Friends of the Earth will call for targets to maximise recycling and composting and prevent the need for new incinerators. The UK currently recycles a paltry 11 per cent of household waste, although 60-80 per cent is recyclable. Switzerland and the Netherlands already recycle half their waste.

The Waste Summit has been called because of:
* concerns that even the existing meagre recycling targets will not be met;
* mounting anger from communities about incineration and other waste disposal options.

According to the BBC, Government officials will tell those attending the summit that waste is the country's most difficult environmental issue after climate change.

Friends of the Earth is making the following recommendations to deal with the waste crisis:
* Local authorities should be given a statutory duty to provide everybody with a quality household recycling service. This proposal was supported by both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the last general election. Tony Blair also called for local authorities to provide this type of service in a speech last October.
* A 60-80 per cent recycling target for 2020 to guide local authorities on how they should meet EU targets for diverting two-thirds of waste away from landfill by 2020. Without a longer term target many local authorities will look to incineration and other disposal technologies to meet EU targets.This will provoke wide-spread community opposition, as well as increase political pressure from the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.
* Clarity on how much money is available for recycling. At the last budget the Government announced a number of mechanisms to fund recycling, although some of these are not yet available. If more finances are needed then the Government could use funds raised by the landfill tax and by shutting down subsidies for incineration.
* Research into health impacts of disposal options for non-recyclable waste. Recent research has

highlighted birth defects around landfill sites and there is widespread concern about the health impacts of incineration. Communities will continue to oppose these waste disposal options until adequate independent health information is available on these and other disposal technologies such as anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and gasification.

Mike Childs, Senior Waste Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"The Government has got itself into a complete mess over recycling by failing to set longer-term recycling targets to meet strict EU landfill laws. It is also provoking community anger by leaving the door open for scores of deeply unpopular new incinerators.

The Waste Summit is Margaret Beckett's golden opportunity to show her green credentials by backing recycling and rejecting incineration. She should start by promising everyone in the country a quality doorstep recycling service so that saving waste is as easy as throwing it away".

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust