LAWR

November 2014 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 7 BRIEFING could transform the industry announcements that were recently made by the Environment Agency, WRAP and others if they had a argues that these announcements could quite literally transform the UK's domestic recycling industry. support domestic recyclers. It encourages local authorities, particularly those that don't have their own private waste contractors, to get a better deal on waste, by using MRFs as a processing service whilst still retaining ownership of their waste. This also encourages greater transparency, something we know that local authorities are keen to see. Visit the full WRAP report here: http://bit.ly/1qKX1bN Contamination Value Chart September 2014 saw an announce- ment by the Resource Association about its new contamination value chart for recycling collectors, which is part of their ReQIP (the Recycling Quality Information Point) web- based information hub for recycling collectors, which was launched in June 2014. We see this as another important development for local authorities who will now understand the impact that different collection systems can have on the recycling stream and how they can achieve maximum value from the materials they collect. Plus adherence to the quality spec should ensure that councils com- ply with TEEP ( t e c h n i c a l l y , environmen- tally and economically practicable) under the revised Waste Directive. We believe this new system sets a benchmark for high quality recy- cling here in the UK, which will not only benefit the environment but will create economic benefits too at a time when local authorities are looking to make efficiencies. It's yet another small step towards a circular economy. What next? Each of these four pieces of news is obviously important in its own right, but when you consider them all together their combined significance cannot be under- estimated. They point to an industry that is finally coming of age; one that is waking up to its full potential and under- stands its importance in laying the foundations for a circular economy. It sends out a positive message to investors too – we aren't afraid to enforce and change regulations in order to support not only the Waste Directive but Britain's wider green economy. What we need going forward then is the political will – across all par- ties and whatever the outcome of the next general election - to continue laying the foundations for the future of our industry. There are further sig- nificant milestones ahead which will determine this path. TEEP For example, January 2015 sees the implementation of the revised Waste Framework Directive and the focus of local authorities will naturally turn to TEEP. The regulations mandate that recy- clable materials should be collected separately unless it is not techni- cally, environmentally and economi- cally practicable to do so. The Government has announced it will not issue guidance for collectors and waste businesses to help them understand what they will be required to do in order to pass the TEEP test. But the compliance road map issued by WRAP and others seems to have been universally endorsed. For some local authorities, TEEP compliance should result in better quality recyclates together with high- er incomes for councils. Ultimately though, whether mate- rials are collected together or sepa- rately, the important thing is to col- lect them as efficiently as possible to ensure the UK's recycling industry has a constant supply of high qual- ity feedstock that is not exported overseas but used to feed the ever- growing demand for such materials. We believe the message should be a simple one: Britain should be on a path towards a circular economy. Effectively managing our resources is key to us achieving this end goal. Chris Dow is chief executive at Closed Loop Recycling. " For some local authorities, TEEP compliance should result in better quality recyclates together with higher incomes for councils. " Chris Dow

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