Government waste policy has traditionally focused more on household than business waste, despite the commercial and industrial stream representing around twice as much material. This is largely because the main legislative drivers for keeping waste out of landfill and recycling more relate to household waste. At the same time the business sector has had a relatively good recycling record compared to councils.

However, with the increased importance of factors such as the need to recover more waste to contribute to renewable energy targets and to reduce carbon emissions, government is increasingly seeking to understand and influence business waste management. It’s pobably best to put this in context though- it’s not the government driving this, but Brussels, who place a levy on the UK not reaching specific recycling targets.

England

The coalition (Lib Dem/ Con) government is currently undertaking a wide-ranging review of waste policy in England following its election in May 2010. This review will cover all kinds of waste and is being led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which has responsibility for waste and recycling. Initial findings are due to be published in May 2011 and will replace the Waste Strategy for England 2007, which set out the previous government’s long term vision for waste.

Intended to set out the steps necessary to create a ‘zero waste’ economy, the review will consider whether lessons can be learned from experiences in other parts of the UK and across the EU.
The coalition (Lib Dem/ Con) government agreed in May 2010 to promote a “huge increase” in the production of energy-from-waste through anaerobic digestion and the review will include a plan to achieve this.

Other areas which are being addressed are voluntary producer responsibility deals and new approaches to tackling waste from businesses, as the new government aims to provide more of a policy focus on commercial and industrial waste than was previously the case.

A public consultation which will feed into the review closed on October 7 2010.