According to two major trade associations CIWM and ESA, the Government has a wide range of things they need to address if they hope for waste management to work in the UK; this includes more detailed planning system, getting the finance in place, recognising the potential for energy generation and providing a clear policy framework for the future are among a number of other issues.
CIWM and ESA have both published a list at they feel are priorities and as was expected they both came out with very similar views.
A clear vision on the future of waste management is seen as pivotal for the business to have the confidence it so desperately needs to invest in the sector and a revised planning system to make delivering critical infrastructure a more realistic proposition.
They both agree that the Government needed to realise the potential value of waste as an energy source. The two were also in agreement about finance being of key importance
That’s were there common ground came to end. ESA called for ‘a floor under landfill tax rates to as a long term driver to encourage investment’ and a streamlined procurement process to cut costs for contractors and councils.
CIWM took a more direct approach, saying there was a need for ‘meaningful investment support for new and greener technologies’.
The ESA flagged up three other priority areas – clear incentives for recycling and recovery; improvements in health & safety regulation and ensuring that European directives affecting the industry are transcribed onto the UK’s law books in a timely fashion.
CIWM said it wanted to see ‘clear, strategic objectives that marry together energy, material resources, low carbon and climate change imperatives’ and a greater commitment to enforcement and combating environmental crime.
Recipro is hoping that the issues that both of these companies have risen, will help convince the Government not to allow the problems to continue and instead come up with a solution so that the UK waste management systems can meet the environmental targets as well as realising the potential value of waste. Here at Recipro we recognise that one man’s waste can be of value to others.