New plans for a zero waste economy were launched today by Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman, in which the Government pledges to help small businesses better tackle their waste.
The broad aims of the
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Review on Waste Policies is to ease the process and increase the frequency of
recycling and
waste management in homes, public areas and businesses across England. But the report also tries to address some specific problems facing
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in tackling waste.
According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the main body representing the needs of the UK’s 4.8 million small businesses,
waste is one of the issues most frequently raised by its members, alongside a weak economy, access to
finance and taxes.
Helping SMEs recycle and reduce waste
Defra’s review highlights several areas in which the Government will work with
SMEs to improve waste disposal and recycling practices. Plans include ensuring that smaller businesses have access to cost effective recycling services, working with businesses to cut down on
food waste and encouraging the use of green product packaging.
Additionally, a voluntary 'Responsibility Deal’ will be established in which Government entities will work to improve SMEs’ access to cost-effective recycling services. According to the report, Defra is already working with local authorities on a 'Business Waste Commitment’ to better recycling services offered to SMEs.
Such action is likely to be welcomed by SMEs, which can find it hard to access suitable waste and recycling services. This is because many local authorities don’t collect business waste, while the private waste and recycling sector does not always offer competitive rates for collecting waste from small businesses.
Manufacturing body, EEF, today welcomed the report. "On the whole this is a welcome step forward in the Government’s approach to business waste. Many of the issues which have concerned business, especially smaller companies have been addressed and measures to aid collection of their waste and reduce regulation and costs are welcome," said EEF head of Climate & Environment, Gareth Stace.
Broader goals
Broader goals set out in today’s Government Review of Waste Policy in England to improve services to householders and businesses include rewarding those working to reduce and recycle waste, making recycling easier by implementing more frequent rubbish collections, putting an end to frivolous bin taxes and cracking down on those polluting the environment through waste crimes such as fly-tipping.
"People want to do the right thing by reducing waste and recycling at home or out and about, and we want to help them," Spelman said. "This means making sure communities are getting the collection services they want and not penalising hard-working households who make minor mistakes by putting bins out on the wrong day or leaving a plastic tub in the wrong recycling box."
New waste reduction targets
Currently the UK dumps around half its municipal waste into landfill sites, compared to Germany’s one per cent. This is not only costly to the economy, but unsustainable.
Considering landfill bans of various materials including wood waste, metals, textiles and biodegradable waste, was listed in the report as one of Defra’s top priorities. In a release issued regarding the report, the Government said it would work to fuel
innovation in the reuse and recycling of these materials before any ban is implemented.
New, aggressive recycling targets looking towards 2017 for plastic, steel, aluminum and glass will be agreed upon in time for the 2012 Budget, Defra said.
According to Defra, investment in the £11 billion waste and recycling sector is expected to grow by three or four per cent. A follow up zero waste action plan will be published in December 2013 to ensure progress in the area is being made.
"For too long, we’ve lagged behind the rest of Europe, although we are catching up fast," Spelman said. "Communities and businesses can help us become a first-class, zero waste economy and unlock the real value in the goods that people no longer want."
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