National Policy

Policy and legislation of the European Community forms a framework within which the national waste strategies must be developed and function. These national strategies are produced separately by Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. There are 2 key legislative/ administrative fields overseeing waste issues these being firstly waste strategic issues covering operations, facilities, and management; and secondly planning development, dealt with through the planning systems. A key issue from a waste and resource management perspective, is whether the planning system will be able to deliver sufficient facilities of the right type, in the right place, at the right time to enable national strategies' objectives to be fulfilled. To fail to meet the biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) reduction targets set by the EU under the Landfill Directive could lead to significant fines for the UK.

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PFI funding for local authority waste management (12/02/2007)
Waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI) sits within Local Authority Funding, together with the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund. Structural changes made Feb 2007. More...WIP - New Technologies Supporter Programme (11/02/2007)
The New Technologies Supporter Programme continues apace as waste disposal authorities move rapidly towards the making of important decisions on facility development, often associated with the private finance initiative (PFI) process. More...Local Development Frameworks - The Planning Inspectorate (22/11/2004)
Planners and other professional practitioners involved in the planning process will be aware that, following the introduction of the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004, old style development plans are being replaced by a new system of Local Development Frameworks. More...Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 in a nutshell (17/07/2004)
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduced a major new approach to the planning in England and Wales More...WRAP sets tough targets in new business plan (11/06/2008)
WRAP announced today a series of demanding targets as part of its new three-year Business Plan. More...Scotland moves towards 'zero waste' (26/03/2008)
The launch of the 2008 Composting at Home Campaign took place yesterday and the Zero Waste Think Tank has its inaugural meeting at the Hub in Edinburgh, today. More...Scotland has an ambitious zero waste vision (28/01/2008)
Ambitious plans for a zero waste Scotland, including tough new targets to increase recycling and reduce landfill, were outlined last week by the Scottish Government. More...Planning decisions within 13 weeks down 5% in second quarter (24/10/2007)
London, UK: Waste developments accounted for 73 percent of the total decisions made on ‘County’ planning applications and minerals developments 21 per cent in the second quarter of 2007, according to the DCLG. More...Waste Summit in Scotland follows adverse official report (03/10/2007)
The Scottish Government has convened Scotland's local authorities, waste industry and environmental groups for talks on how to make further progress on dealing with the country's waste. More...Landfill Directive target “unlikely to be met” in Scotland (20/09/2007)
It is unlikely that Scotland will be able to reduce landfill to the levels required by the European Union in 2013 and urgent decisions now need to be made, according to an official report released today. More...Waste evidence programme will help build knowledge (19/09/2007)
A waste and resources evidence programme to help deliver the Government's waste strategy has been outlined today by the UK Government. More...Over 50% dissatisfied with geological storage of nuclear waste (14/09/2007)
Over half (51%) of those who took part in stakeholder events last Saturday were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the Government's proposal to manage new nuclear waste in the same manner as legacy waste (geological storage). More...Waste Reduction to be investigated by the House of Lords (28/08/2007)
A sub-committee of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee is to look at sustainable approaches to waste reduction. More...FTA - Planning reforms a "significant step forward" (20/08/2007)
The Freight Transport Association says that the proposals for an Infrastructure Planning Commission to assess Major Infrastructure Projects will be a significant step forward for the UK economy as a whole. More...Plans to reduce 109m tonnes of waste (09/07/2007)
Each year 400 million tonnes of solid materials are used in the UK construction industry but only two-thirds is added to the building stock. More...Waste managers consulted on implementation of the UK CRC (27/06/2007)
Defra has launched a consultation paper containing detailed proposals for the implementation of the UK’s pioneering emissions trading scheme for large organisations in business and the public sector. More...Year Two for the Waste Protocols Project (01/06/2007)
The Environment Agency and WRAP have announced the waste streams that will be included in the second year of the Waste Protocols Project following a successful first year. More...Trade waste distortions in municipal statistics? (31/05/2007)
Mayor takes concerns about London’s waste to European Commission More...Reaction to Waste Strategy - CPI recovered paper sector (30/05/2007)
CPI considers that in general, the Strategy appears high on recommendation but low on detailed action, and leaves much of the key decision making to Local Authorities. More...GHGs in products? - PAS (30/05/2007)
Carbon Trust and Defra join with BSI British Standards to develop a standard method for measuring the embodied GHG emissions in products and services More...Rosyth nuclear subs waste for disposal (29/05/2007)
Rosyth Royal Dockyard limited is planning to dispose of radioactive materials by exporting them initially to Scandinavia for pre-treatment, before their return to the UK for disposal. More...Green boost not grey binge for new planning proposals (22/05/2007)
The Environment Agency yesterday urged the Government to apply rigorous green criteria to the development of the proposed National Policy Statements for energy, transport, water and waste infrastructure, or risk a "grey binge" of unsustainable infrastructure construction. More...“2007 critical year for environment” (17/05/2007)
DEFRA has issued its annual report in which Environment Secretary David Miliband today highlighted environmental achievements and challenges for the Department. More...Biodiversity comes up trumps for WRG (18/04/2007)
It is good to see that the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has again named Arpley Landfill Site/Moore Nature Reserve, near Warrington, as a winner in its biennial Business Bird Challenge. More...New programme fuelled to up paper use (16/04/2007)
WRAP has launched the second phase of a major project designed give the UK Magazine industry a new impetus to extend its use of recycled content paper. More...Scottish report provides backing to alternate weekly collections (10/04/2007)
A report on Scottish kerbside recycling has demonstrated that alternate weekly collections have a great benefit on the quantities of materials recycled by householders. More...CIWM issues Position Statement on Alternate weekly collections (05/04/2007)
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management has issued a position statement on alternate weekly collections. More...New life cycle tool for wastes launched (04/04/2007)
A new tool for assessing the relative impacts on the environment of waste management facilities has been launched by the Environment Agency. More...Site Waste Management Plans to cut waste (02/04/2007)
Proposals for reducing the 109 million tones of waste produced by the UK construction industry every year were published today for consultation by Defra. More...WRAP provides boost to waste management in the hospitality industry (28/03/2007)
With the aim of boosting sustainable waste management within the hospitality industry, a series of fact files have been launched by WRAP and the Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA). More...Environmental Infrastructure could be reaching "tipping point" in some places (28/03/2007)
A report from the Environment Agency says that, due to future expanding community development, we need to establish environmental infrastructure (including waste infrastructure)through good and adequate forward planning. More...Defra announces low level radioactive waste policy (26/03/2007)
A new UK policy for managing solid low level radioactive waste has been published by the UK Government and the devolved administrations today More...Sir Michael Lyons recommends powers to charge for domestic waste (22/03/2007)
Yesterday, Sir Michael Lyons published the final report of his independent inquiry into the role, function and funding of local government. More...New Quality Protocol for Compost to ensure sustainable production (19/03/2007)
A new initiative making it easier for businesses and industry to produce more compost and reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfill has been launched by WRAP and the Environment Agency. More...Business Waste Framework, Scotland - action plan to cut business waste (16/03/2007)
The Scottish Executive has published plans to save Scottish business more than £7.5 million a year and reduce the amount of business waste generated by at least 200,000 tonnes. More...Funding - £48m per year for Scottish waste treatment (14/03/2007)
The Scottish Executive has provisionally announced today, funding to double Scotland's current recycling rate and reduce reliance on landfill through an attack on residual wastes. More...Public awareness - Chewing gum litter cut by up to 72% (02/03/2007)
Chewing gum litter cut by up to 72% with public awareness campaigns. More...WEEE - DTI issues guidance on the WEEE Regulations (01/03/2007)
The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) yesterday issued guidance notes on the WEEE Regulations. More...Reduction target set for carrier bags - 25% reduction by 2008 (01/03/2007)
UK retailers have agreed to reduce the overall environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008. Meanwhile Ireland raises its plastic bags levy by 46.7%. More...London wide waste authority rebuffed in the Commons (28/02/2007)
In a debate yesterday on the Greater London Authority Bill, Karen Buck moved the second reading of amendments to Clause 1 of the Bill which were aimed at the introduction of a London wide waste authority. More...Household waste reduction - Scottish Action Plan (28/02/2007)
A plan to cut the amount of household waste by a quarter of a million tonnes in Scotland was published yesterday by the Scottish Executive. More...CD&E wastes - Survey indicates 88.6m tonnes of English CD & E waste arose in 2005 (27/02/2007)
The objective of the survey was to establish estimates for the arisings and use as aggregate of construction and demolition and excavation waste in England in 2005. More...Exports - Consultation on waste exports ends soon (26/02/2007)
Defra's consultation on the review of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste is due to end shortly. More...PFI new structure to aid £11 billion infrastructure investment. (09/02/2007)
Based on experience so far, a more streamlined process for applying to Defra for waste PFI credits has been announced today. More...New Technologies Supporter Programme continues apace (09/02/2007)
The New Technologies Supporter Programme (NTSP) continues apace as waste disposal authorities move rapidly towards the making of important decisions on facility development. More...Climate change could have impact on Waste infrastructure and communications (08/02/2007)
In the first work of its kind in the UK a detailed regional study has been undertaken on the effects of the impacts of climate change on buildings, infrastructure and society. More...Funding - Welsh municipal waste projects benefit by £1.1m (05/02/2007)
The Welsh assembly has allocated £1.1m to help improve the management of municipal wastes in Wales. The drive is to support the full implementation of the national waste strategy, Wise About Waste. More...Packaging waste website set to cut fraud (01/02/2007)
A new and improved website for packaging waste information will help companies to meet packaging recycling regulations and tackle fraud. More...Business waste data shows 9m tonnes annually in Scotland (24/01/2007)
Scottish businesses produce around 9m tonnes of waste annually, according to a national survey commissioned by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). More...Joint waste authorities on the cards (23/01/2007)
Ruth Kelly proposes to amend the local government bill to allow Joint Waste Authorities More...Joint waste authorities - Kelly sets out timetable for devolution (22/01/2007)
Ruth Kelly sets out timetable for devolution - New measures to improve health and waste services unveiled. More...Sustainable construction - Clients hold the key (17/01/2007)
Demand for construction materials with high recycled content in new building projects is increasingly being driven by some of the construction industry’s largest clients according to WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme). More...TV message in a bottle (16/01/2007)
A new TV advertising campaign encouraging people to recycle more glass bottles and jars has hit our screens as part of the latest phase of television advertising from Recycle Now. More...News bites (15/01/2007)
South Kesteven Council refute rat scare. Ambitious waste diversion agenda updated. Consumers and environment benefit from EU energy action. More...Marks & Spencer - zero waste to landfill by 2012 (15/01/2007)
Marks & Spencer have announced the initiation of "Plan A", a business-wide £200m "eco-plan" which will have an impact on every part of M&S' operations over the next five years. More...Major WRAP glass project greens up production (15/01/2007)
It is intended that the WRAP report will help industry to maximise the use of green glass which arises in abundance in the UK. More...Capacity of waste management facilities at March 2005 in England and Wales (12/01/2007)
According to Environment Agency statistics released yesterday, 686 million cubic metres of landfill voidspace remained on permitted sites in England and Wales at 31/3/2005. More...Only 3 to 4 years landfill capacity for London and the East (12/01/2007)
Landfilling of waste materials is falling but newly available landfill capacity is not keeping pace with waste deposits according to the Environment Agency. More...Select Committee holds follow up inquiry on radioactive waste managment (10/01/2007)
The House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee is to hold a follow up inquiry into radioactive waste management. More...SEPA publishes 2004 waste data (08/01/2007)
SEPA has published its sixth annual Waste Data Digest for the 2004. Though this information is historic, SEPA makes a well presented report on overall waste management in Scotland for 2004 and is to be commended on the comprehensive nature of the report. More...Is poor waste management fuelling the rise of rats? (08/01/2007)
On Friday last, the Daily Mail picked up on a report by the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) on the growing rat population across the country, in an article headed 'Council greed fuelling rise of rats'. More...LGA wages War on Waste (08/01/2007)
The Local Government Association has launched its War on Waste campaign, as new figures are published that show that the UK is depositing more waste into landfill than other European countries. More...The case for recycled PET in packaging (03/01/2007)
The business case for using recycled PET plastic in packaging will be demonstrated at a WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) conference being held on 6th February 2007 in London. More...ELV Regulations implemented from 1 January 2007 (02/01/2007)
The End of Life Vehicle Regulations are implemented from 1 January. The regulations give car owners an entitlement to have their old (End of Life Vehicles or ELVs) vehicles taken off them free of charge known as "free take back". More...Directgov online guide to sustainable living includes waste issues (02/01/2007)
Defra has launched a new online guide to greener living on the government's main public website, Directgov. More...Watch your "wasteline" use the 3Rs this Christmas (22/12/2006)
Christmas advice from DEFRA and Recycle Now: More...DCLG research into "scoping" of EIAs (22/12/2006)
DCLG has issued a research report into the "scoping" of environmental impact assessment studies. More...Recycling report kept under WRAPs (22/12/2006)
In a BBC radio interview this morning, Jennie Price, Chief Executive of WRAP revealed that a new report on recycling will be released shortly. The report is said to demonstrate that recycling is saving millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere. More...Waste and minerals planning statistics released for July to September 2006 (20/12/2006)
'County matters' planning statistics covering waste management and minerals for July to September 2006 have been released by DCLG. More...Justifiably proud at North Kesteven (20/12/2006)
North Kesteven District Council is justifiably proud of topping the national league table for recycling. The District is the only area in the country to recycle over 50% of its waste. More...News Bites (19/12/2006)
Quarter 3 - Revised reprocessor and exporter figures for packaging wastes. Amazon is having a not-so-merry Irish Christmas More...Two-thirds of English authorities hit recycling targets (15/12/2006)
Sixty-six percent of local authorities have met or exceeded their Best Value targets for 2005/6. More...Variable charging still in the balance (15/12/2006)
In a debate in the House of Commons Ben Bradshaw was asked what progress he was making on the review of the national waste strategy. More...Say "no" to Christmas excess? (14/12/2006)
If you’re in the business of festive food and drink, you’d better watch out for the Womens' Institute (WI) this Yuletide season. More...Wastes management key to sustainable homes (14/12/2006)
Waste management is a key element of the new Code for Sustainable Homes during the design and construction phase but also in the operational phase. More...Envirowise "box clever" (13/12/2006)
Companies across the UK are being urged to 'box clever' with packaging design under an Envirowise initiative. More...Six million tonnes of food go to waste! (13/12/2006)
Funding is being made available by WRAP to help reduce the six million tonnes of household food thrown away each year (closing date 21 March 2007) More...Waterford show the way on "pay per throw" (11/12/2006)
Waterford County Council has just issued the renewal notices to their customers for the waste management charge (Flat Charge) for 2007. More...Innovative packaging funding opportunity (07/12/2006)
Innovative schemes to reduce household packaging waste could benefit from financial assistance from WRAP (closing date 31 January 2007). More...Barker Review - major infrastructure projects (06/12/2006)
Kate Barker's proposals included a radical overhaul of the planning system for major infrastructure projects, including transport, waste and energy, to improve speed and certainty. More...Barker proposes planning system for the 21st century (05/12/2006)
The report highlights the vital role planning needs to play to deliver sustainable economic development in the context of the pressures of a growing population, rising incomes......... More...Waste textiles - New clothing and textile report published (05/12/2006)
A new report reviews the situation in the clothing and textile sector and uses future scenarios for predicting sustainability in the sector. More...FOE and EEB welcome EU Committee's moves on waste prevention (01/12/2006)
Pressure Groups Friends of the Earth Europe and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) have welcomed new forward-looking targets for waste prevention agreed by the European Parliament's Environment Committee this week. More...Consultation paper launched on waste crime prevention (30/11/2006)
DEFRA considers that elements of the duty of care regime can represent an opportunity for waste crime, rather than a deterrent. More...Merseyside success in DEFRA New Technologies Demonstrator Programme (30/11/2006)
Merseyside has been successful in the DEFRA backed New Technologies Demonstrator Programme to host a £10.6 million scheme in the Knowsley District. The project should save 30,000 tonnes of municipal waste going to landfill each year. More...PIC rebut finding of 'A Zero Waste UK' on disposable cameras (29/11/2006)
The report, ‘A Zero Waste UK’ from the Institute for Public Policy Research and Green Alliance, targeted disposable products such as certain cameras as items that should be subjected to a tax to discourage their use. The Photo Imaging Council refutes this proposal as it considers that disposable cameras in fact represent "a true recycling success story". More...Call to construction industry for 50% cut in landfill use by 2012 (22/11/2006)
A call has been made to the construction industry to achieve a 50% cut in materials waste going to landfill by the year 2012. This call was made by The Sustainability Forum, together with WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme). More...Unhappy BPF seeks Bradshaw and meets Cameron- Part 2 (21/11/2006)
Cameron signals importance of plastics to manufacturing. More...Unhappy BPF seeks Bradshaw and meets Cameron- Part 1 (21/11/2006)
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has requested a meeting with the Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw following remarks he made to the media about excessive supermarket packaging. More...England easily achieves 2005/06 LATS allowance (20/11/2006)
England has made a good start towards meeting its first tough EU targets of sending less biodegradable waste (cardboard, garden and food waste) to landfill. More...Tax on non-recyclables (20/11/2006)
The Government should tax disposable and hard-to-recycle products to encourage manufacturers to produce less waste, according to a new report published yesterday (19 Nov) by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) and Green Alliance. More...The municipal waste tide has turned? (17/11/2006)
DEFRA have indicated that the currently issued municipal waste management statistics for 2005-06 may indicate that the historic tide in the growth of waste has turned. More...Municipal waste management statistics 2005/06 (17/11/2006)
DEFRA has issued the first set of estimates for the 2005-06 survey of municipal wastes. More...WRAP to host workshops on its construction web site re-development (17/11/2006)
Design Workshop (28 November) Construction Workshop (29 November) Supply Chain Workshop (12 and 14 December) More...Government presses supermarkets on packaging and food waste (15/11/2006)
Large retailers, including supermarkets, are being encouraged to play a major role in the reduction of environmental effects of their produce. More...Council chiefs warn retailers to stump up more WEEE funding (14/11/2006)
According to the LGA, television mountains could become the new fridge mountains unless businesses stump up the money required to collect WEEE. More...Government sets example for use of reprocessed materials in capital projects (14/11/2006)
Dr Whitehead (Lab) raised questions in the House on the use of re-used and recycled materials in capital procurement projects by Government Departments. More...New initiative to help local authorities meet Landfill Directive Targets (09/11/2006)
DEFRA have introduced a new support programme to help local authorities to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. The initiative will be as part of the existing Waste Implementation Programme (WIP). More...Temporary stop notices available for unauthorised landfills under new guidance (07/11/2006)
New guidance for local authorities on how to take planning enforcement action was outlined today, including comment on the existing enforcement action that came out of the Review of Planning Enforcement More...Battery recycling scheme expanded by WRAP (01/11/2006)
Research undertaken by WRAP shows that the average household uses 21 batteries per year and that around 600m UK batteries are sent to landfill every year. More...WRAP case study site, Battersea Reach, nominated for national award (27/10/2006)
Battersea Reach was nominated for best sustainability innovation for waste recycling and tidal planting, at the annual awards organised by LABC - the national organisation for building control services. More...State of Composting Report issued for 2004-05 (24/10/2006)
Composting is playing a key and improving role in increasing the amount of waste recovered, according to the a report issued by the Composting Association. More...DEFRA New Technologies Supporter Programme - the last 6 months (18/10/2006)
The Defra New Technologies Supporter Programme is to run upto April 2007. During this period the programme is widening its service offerings with the aim of increasing the knowledge of new technologies for the diversion of waste from landfill. More...British Plastics Federation urges Government action on energy (13/10/2006)
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has repeated key points for the UK Government's consumption in its to pursuit of a sustainable energy policy. More...English WDAs meet LATS limits - provisionally (12/10/2006)
According to an interim statement from DEFRA, all waste disposal authorities in England have successfully met their LATS limits for the first year of the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme. More...'Its in the bag' as DEFRA calls for voluntary code (news in brief) (12/10/2006)
DEFRA and the devolved administrations have invited major UK retail groups to discuss a voluntary code of practice aimed at reducing the number of plastic and paper bags distributed to consumers. More...DEFRA issues model LATS contract (05/10/2006)
Defra has published a Model Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) Trading Agreement to assist local authorities in drawing up formal contracts when trading their allowances. The model contract is also supported by a set of guidance notes. More...National and Regional Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England, 2001-2016 (22/09/2006)
DLGC has published the third monitoring report on the guidelines for medium term aggregates provision. More...Room for improvement in organic waste management in Ireland (22/09/2006)
A report on the Management of Household Waste in Ireland was launched yesterday (Thursday) by the Joint Committee on Environment, Heritage and Local Government. More...Could waste disposal units solve the food waste problem? (news in brief) (14/09/2006)
According to In-Sink-Erator UK a cost effective, simple way to increase household recycling rates and reduce the amount of municipal waste going to landfill, is the food waste disposer. More...A major North-South study on the feasibility of establishing a paper mill on the island of Ireland has been published. (11/09/2006)
This important study assesses the contribution a new paper mill could make to delivering a dynamic recycled paper market on the island of Ireland and would make use of waste paper that is currently exported. More...Welsh local authorities meet strict Assembly limits on landfilling "compostable" waste. (08/09/2006)
Figures announced today reveal that every local authority in Wales has met strict Assembly limits on the amount of compostable waste they are allowed to send to landfill sites. More...A million compost bins delivered under WRAP scheme (23/08/2006)
The one millionth compost bin has been delivered this week and Recycle Now Compost at Home and Waste Aware Scotland have celebrated the milestone with Big Brother’s Lea at Trafalgar Square. The scheme backed by WRAP, has saved a predicted 400,000 tonnes of kitchen and garden waste going to landfill. More...Advice on EIA for Outline Planning Consents (13/07/2006)
Interim guidance has been issued by DCLG following the outcome of ECJ judgements relating to the requirement for revisions to an EIA where necessary, at the approval of reserve matters stage. More...EIA - Advice for Outline Planning Consents (13/07/2006)
Interim guidance has been issued by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) following the outcome of ECJ judgements relating to the requirement for revisions to an EIA where necessary, at the approval of reserve matters stage following the issue of an outline planning consent. More...