Government review to boost recycling and maximise revenues
June 25, 2010 at 12:43 pm
The waste problem in England is going to be addressed by a new review that the government has launched. Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, announced the government’s decision to launch the review at the Futuresource conference in London.
The government plans to review every aspect of waste strategy in the UK. It has been described as a “no-holds-barred look at every aspect of waste policy”.
The review will cover many areas. Overall, the aim is to reduce the amount of waste produced in Britain, and it will look into different ways to accomplish this.
Ideas that will be examined include starting up the practice of collecting only standard waste one week and only recyclable waste the next week, fines for leaving the wrong kind of rubbish for collection, a ban on all food waste from landfill sites and the introduction of shopping vouchers for the households who recycle the most. This has already been introduced in a trial run and has so far proved to be successful.
Spelman also said that she wanted to see the construction of more locations where recyclable rubbish can be processed, rather than simply sending it all abroad.
Spelman was critical of Labour’s waste policies when in opposition, and now she is seeking to implement far tougher plans. One of the areas she highlighted was the packaging for children’s toys. She said that her children are “constantly bringing items home in thick packaging, polystyrene and cardboard, and it’s really all about making the product attractive to buy rather than packaging it safely”.
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