Defra announced 24/05/07 the publication of a Waste Strategy for England 2007. Main points include: More effective incentives for individuals & businesses to recycle waste, leading to at least 40% of household waste being recycled or composted by 2010, rising to 50% by 2020. A greater responsibility on businesses for the environmental impact of their products & operations through, for example, a drive to minimise packaging & higher targets for recycling packaging; A strong emphasis on waste prevention with householders reducing their waste & reducing food waste & businesses helping consumers (eg with less packaging). There will also be a new national target to help measure this to reduce the amount of household waste not reused, recycled or composted from 22.2m/t in 2000 to 12.2m/t by 2010 - a reduction of 45%. Working with retailers for the end of free single use bags. This could involve retailers only selling long-life bags, or retailers charging for disposable bags and using the proceeds to sell long-life bags at a discount; Subject to further analysis and consultation, banning biodegradable and recyclable waste from being put into landfill sites; An increase in the landfill tax escalator by £8 a year from 2008 until at least 2010/11 as previously announced in this year's budget. Partly as a result of this, business waste landfill is expected to fall by 20% by 2010 compared with 2004. Paper, food & green wastes, & plastics & aluminium have been identified as key waste materials where diversion from landfill could realise significant further environmental benefits. Subject to further analysis, proposals will also be brought forward for higher packaging recycling requirements for plastic and aluminium beyond the 2008 European targets. In relation to food & green waste, support will be provided for anaerobic digestion through the new technologies programme, Renewable Obligations system, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and a digestate standard, that will establish the use of this technology in England as in some other European countries.
