LAWR

BRIEFING 18 Local Authority Waste & Recycling May 2015 n the last decade waste has been transformed. What was once worthless rubbish sent to landfill is now a valuable resource that is reused, recycled and used for energy recovery. Much of this turnaround has been achieved because waste management companies and local authorities have operated in an environment with clear legislative targets and incentives. The landfill tax escalator has created an increasing financial penalty leading to waste being diverted from landfill, meanwhile recycling targets have encouraged local authorities to invest in collection infrastructure. At FCC Environment our whole business strategy has moved from a model based on disposal to one where we aim to minimise the amount of waste that ends up in landfill, by transforming it into valuable resources and energy wherever possible. But under the coalition government, waste policy has developed at a different pace across the UK: Scotland and Wales have made more progressive commitments, whilst policy in England has stalled. Issues concerning waste and resources are likely to be notable only by their absence during the remaining weeks of electioneering. Whatever the outcome of the election, there are likely to be significant implications for local authorities, waste collectors and processors. Another Conservative-led coalition is likely to lead to further public spending cuts, affecting municipal waste collections. In contrast, a Labour government or coalition is expected to push the case for more public spending. The former would also trigger an EU referendum, which could lead to a partial or total exit and bring with it significant impact on the waste industry given the EU's influence on our environmental policies. The polls show that the UK Independence Party (UKIP) is unlikely to win the election, but its influence on waste policy could be significant. UKIP is anti-bureaucracy and is seeking to deregulate waste management. Its recent local manifesto pledge to reduce (and possibly abolish) landfill tax would make recycling a less commercially viable option and associated targets somewhat irrelevant. Although Scotland's waste law has already been fully deregulated, further devolution, as a result of a Scottish National Party landslide, may drive even more progressive reforms or result in conflicting priorities. Current polls suggest there may be another coalition government but its political make-up remains unclear at this stage. With regards to specific initiatives for waste, I am particularly keen to see a new government create long-term clarity around waste policy. This will have the benefit of boosting investor confidence and will in turn enable new infrastructure to come on-stream more quickly. I also believe a new administration would be advised to take steps to standardise collection infrastructure across the UK. The current patchwork of collection systems and different coloured bins is difficult for residents and businesses to understand and contributes to radically different collection rates across the country (see pages 11-15). Whilst I appreciate this may go against the idea of local decision making, a more radical approach is needed in order to tackle the flatlining of recycling rates, especially in England. This may need legislation, or best practice guidance from Defra backed with incentives and penalties. Another key issue that needs addressing is the uncertainty over the future of energy-from-waste (EfW). In many European countries EfW has helped achieve much higher recycling rates than those achieved in the UK. EfW has a role to play in closing the loop on certain waste streams, such as food. However, it is dependent on a consistent level of feedstock and this will be heavily influenced by legislation such as the Liberal Democrats' proposed Zero Waste Britain Bill, which includes binding targets and a clear action plan to reduce waste and end biodegradable landfill. If there is a coalition in power after 7 May, clarity on issues like landfill bans will be vital in creating investor confidence. Whatever the political future, our industry needs consistency regarding legislative and economic drivers to encourage investment in infrastructure and market growth. It's the responsibility of the waste management and resource sector to work with any new framework of regulations to drive up recycling and energy recovery rates. However, too much regulation will stifle competition and damage the long- term viability of the sector. I Wanted: a vision for UK waste This is the last LAWR before the general election. FCC Environment's Kristian Dales assesses the possible outcomes. Kristian Dales is sales, marketing and communications director at FCC Environment. " Too much regulation will stifle competition "

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