ITEM EX18

EXECUTIVE – 11 DECEMBER 2001

JOINT HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY – OUTCOME OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Report by Director of Environmental Services

APPENDIX A

Oxfordshire Joint Household Waste Management Strategy

Pre- Public Consultation Draft – Policy (Part 1)

Introduction

1.1. Strategy Objective

The broad objective of the Strategy is to achieve the targets set out in the Government’s ‘Waste Strategy 2000’ through the principles of sustainable resources and waste management.

The most sustainable way to treat particular waste streams should be guided through the use of Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO). In determining BPEO ‘Waste Strategy 2000’ identifies three key considerations:

• the waste hierarchy;
• the proximity principle; and
• self-sufficiency.

The policies set out below are the means for delivering the Strategy using these three considerations.

2. Policies

2.1. The Waste Hierarchy

The Government wants everyone to produce less waste and to see the waste we do produce as a resource from which we can in some way gain value, rather than just throwing it away. To this end, the Strategy promotes a waste hierarchy, as set out in the figure below. Methods at the top of the list are more sustainable than those at the bottom.



Managing Resources	Most Sustainable
Waste Avoidance
Waste Minimisation
Waste Reuse
Recycling & Composting
Recovering Value from Waste
Waste Disposal	Least Sustainable

2.1.1.Resource Management

Waste traditionally has little or no perceived value, but could be a resource with further potential use following the fulfilment of its initial purpose. An important element of the Strategy is to encourage the optimum use of resources.

Resource use can be managed through:

• Fiscal measures to reduce the consumption of raw materials (e.g. aggregates tax);
• Producer responsibility – legislation to force producers to take responsibility for products once they are discarded; and
• Integrated product design – the redesign of products to reduce the amount of resources required for their manufacture, to improve their durability and to make them fully recyclable.

2.1.2. Waste Avoidance and Minimisation

Policy 2 To help householders and individuals to reduce and manage their wastes.

With advice, information and incentives, individuals can consume products which produce less waste. More resource efficient ways to satisfy consumer demand could be developed. The local authorities can encourage these things by giving advice and information and providing incentives.

Waste minimisation is the reduction of the amount of waste which is disposed of in the household waste stream. Although waste is produced, the costs of having to deal with it is removed. Householders can minimise their wastes by composting their organic wastes at home and reusing or repairing goods before discarding them as waste.

2.1.3. Waste Reuse

Policy 3 To encourage the controlled reuse and reclamation of items so that materials which would otherwise be destined for disposal can be used by others.

Where waste is produced and cannot be minimised, some things can be used again, or used for other purposes without the need for reprocessing the materials as is the case in recycling. The local authorities can help householders and local communities to make use of valuable materials and items which have been discarded by others by providing systems for the exchange of items, for example through waste exchanges.

2.1.4. Recycling & Composting

Policy 4 To provide an integrated system of collection and processing of household waste which will achieve the Waste Strategy 2000 recycling and composting targets within the context of the EU Landfill Directive targets.

The Government has set targets through Waste Strategy 2000 for the recycling and composting of wastes. The recycling of waste materials, although in itself a resource intensive process, enables raw materials to be reclaimed from the waste stream for use in other products. This process reduces the requirement for new raw materials, thereby reducing the impact that extracting and refining raw materials has on the environment. Recycling materials reduces the energy used in making new products.

Composting is the treatment of organic wastes to produce a stabilised organic material which can then be used as a growing media or as an addition to soil. This process enables organic materials and nutrients to be recycled, therefore reducing the requirement for other organic materials such as peat moss, reducing the requirement for inorganic nutrients, and aiding the structure of growing media.

2.1.5. Recovering Value from Waste

Policy 5 To provide a system for recovering value from residual wastes in order to meet the EU Landfill Directive targets.

Where waste is not reused, recycled or composted, value can often be recovered from the waste stream through energy recovery. Although this does not allow raw materials to be recycled, it enables some of the intrinsic energy within the waste to be utilised e.g. through pyrolysis, gasification, incineration and anaerobic digestion.

Additional value may need to be recovered from waste in order to meet the EU Landfill Directive targets in conjunction with Policy 4.

2.1.6. Waste Disposal

Certain minority elements of the residual waste stream have a greater potential to cause pollution. The best ways of dealing with these elements will need to be identified.

There will continue to be the need for the final disposal of residual waste material. Where waste is not reused, recycled, composted, or have value recovered from it, it will be disposed of to landfill.

2.2. The Proximity Principle

The proximity principle requires waste to be disposed of as close to the place of production as possible. This avoids passing the environmental costs of waste management to communities which are not responsible for its generation, and reduces the environmental costs of transporting waste.

Policy 8 To ensure that waste facilities are suitably sized and distributed with the aim of minimising the transport of waste. Facilities will be well related to areas of population, given the environmental and amenity constraints, and the availability of suitable sites.

Policy 9 To assist the development of local markets for recovered materials.

Reducing the distance that waste is transported to facilities and markets will reduce the environmental costs of waste management.

2.3. Self-sufficiency - Oxfordshire Local Authorities Working Together

The Government believes that waste should not be exported from the UK for disposal. Waste Planning Authorities and the waste management industry should aim, wherever practicable, for regional self-sufficiency in managing waste.

There is a need to develop effective ways of working together, and to maximise the effectiveness of the services through efficient use of pooled financial and technical resources to achieve regional self-sufficiency.