8 Waste Reduction.


Waste Reduction and Re-use.

8.1 ‘Waste Strategy 2000’, the National Waste Strategy for England and Wales, applies the principles of sustainable development to waste management.  The overall aim of the Waste Local Plan is to develop a framework around which waste management practices in the County would become more sustainable. The generation of waste has a key impact on sustainability. The use of resources in producing goods and the rate of their consumption dictate the generation of waste.  A reduction in waste produced or an increase in recycling will therefore represent a move towards sustainable waste management.  Waste reduction is a key element in both the Government’s waste strategy and the Municipal Waste Management Strategy for County Durham (MWMSCD).  Sustainable production and consumption and waste minimisation are not land use issues in themselves but the Waste Local Plan acknowledges them as desirable objectives, along with initiatives aimed at reducing the generation of waste.  To encourage reduction of waste, it is necessary to ensure that an adequate planning framework is in place to enable sufficient waste management facilities to be provided, for the reduction, re-use, recovery and disposal of waste in accordance with the waste hierarchy.

8.2 Reductions in waste generation and significant increases in rates of recovery and recycling over the Plan period are achievable and are being led by a range of initiatives and policy measures. These include:

  • the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to deliver increases in re-use, recycling and use of recycled materials.  The Government has set up the WRAP to overcome market barriers to promoting re-use and recycling, focusing on developing markets and end uses for secondary materials, promoting investment in reprocessing, managing research and information, and providing advice and technical support;
  • encouraging public procurement of recycled products as a means of increasing demand and providing more secure markets for recycled goods;
  • the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regime which includes waste minimisation requirements for regulated activities;
  • education and waste awareness initiatives, including the National Waste Awareness Initiative, and proposed regional/County initiative for a wide ranging and education and waste minimisation and awareness raising programme;
  • Producer Responsibility, making producers take greater responsibility for their goods at the end of their lives. Individual initiatives have been introduced or are planned for a variety of waste streams. These involve 
  • setting targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste, agreements on the recycling content of newspapers, an initiative to address junk mail, and European directives aimed at end-of-life vehicles, batteries and waste electric and electronic goods;
  • the Aggregates Levy (introduced in April 2002);
  • the Landfill Tax introduced in 1996 to encourage greater diversion of waste away from landfill, tax credits to help fund environmental schemes although 60% of credits are required to be focussed on sustainable waste management; and,
  • the use of permits, operated by the Environment Agency, to limit landfill of biodegradable municipal waste.

8.3 All proposals for development will need to take account of the volumes and types of waste generated by the development during construction and subsequent occupation. Planning applications for all major development should include measures to minimise the use of raw materials, minimise, re-use and recycle waste, and dispose of unavoidable waste in an environmentally acceptable manner. The emerging Regional  Sustainable Development Guide contains information on designing for minimum waste.