Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to advise local authorities against opting for commingled recycling to avoid the hgh risk of contamination.
Regulation 13 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 states that every waste collection authority (local authority) must, when making arrangements for the collection of waste paper, metal, plastic or glass, ensure those arrangements are by way of separate collection.
This duty applies unless separate collection is not technically, environmentally or economically practicable (TEEP) or where the separate collection is not necessary to ensure waste is recovered in accordance with Articles 4 and 13 of the Waste Framework Directive. In other words, separate collection is the default unless it is not TEEP.
Our consultation ‘Consistency in household and business recycling collections in England’ sought views on separate collection of recycling materials. We intend to prepare statutory guidance which will set out advice and good practice and help local authorities to meet their duties in relation to the separate collection of recycling materials.
The Government’s response to the consultation will be published shortly.