Household Waste Prevention Policy Side Research Programme
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Household Waste Prevention Policy Side Research Programme Final Report for Defra A National Resource and Waste Forum collaborative project funded by Defra through the Waste and Resources Evidence Programme. Authors: Eunomia Research & Consulting The Environment Council Öko-Institut TNO Atlantic Consulting May 2007 Report for: Gillian Neville, Defra Prepared by: Dr Dominic Hogg, Duncan Wilson, Dr. Jessica North, Olivia Errey, Martin Astley, Matthias Buchert, Andreas Hermann, Dr Arnold Tukker, and Eric Johnson Approved by …………………………………………………. Dr Dominic Hogg Project Director, Technical Contact Details Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd 1 Kings Court Little King Street Bristol BS1 4HW United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)117 9450100 Fax: +44 (0)8717 142942 Web: www.eunomia.co.uk Acknowledgements Our thanks to the Project Steering Group, and to all the participants in the workshops for their valuable contributions. Disclaimer Eunomia Research & Consulting and co-contractors have taken due care in the preparation of this report to ensure that all facts and analysis presented are as accurate as possible within the scope of the project. However no guarantee is provided in respect of the information presented, and Eunomia Research & Consulting is not responsible for decisions or actions taken on the basis of the content of this report. Waste Prevention Policy Case Studies i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this research project was to identify and investigate waste prevention policies with the greatest potential for application in the UK, and to develop a clearer understanding of who currently has responsibility for waste prevention policy in the UK. A structured research programme was developed. In the first instance a framework was constructed to facilitate identification and analysis of waste prevention policies. This framework was used to undertake an analysis of who in the UK has responsibility for the various aspects of waste prevention policy, and to assist in identifying and reviewing waste prevention policies in place in the UK and in other countries. A series of workshops was conducted to identify policies not currently in use anywhere and to evaluate the potential application to the UK of all the policies to emerge from the research. The final phase of the research entailed undertaking more in-depth research in the form of case studies on the eleven most promising policies. Within the UK, the reality is that waste prevention has historically been accorded a low priority. This is reflected in the fact that the research uncovered very few policies designed to directly target household waste prevention. One exception is the Packaging Essential Requirements legislation - although its effectiveness has possibly been limited by the relatively low level of resourcing allocated to its enforcement, again perhaps indicative of the priority that has been attached to waste prevention. While there are few policies directed specifically at waste prevention, other waste management policies have in fact resulted in perverse incentives which have probably increased household waste arisings. The impact of these policies has tended to revolve around the management of bio-waste. In particular waste recycling targets have incentivised local authorities to provide free garden waste collections (despite the fact that much of the material that is collected was not previously in the household waste stream), and have reduced incentives to promote home composting. The administration of the Landfill Allowance Schemes, which use a mass balance approach and account for bio-waste as a constant fraction of the residual, similarly incentivise garden waste collections, and provide a reduced incentive to promote home composting (though this situation is under review). The analysis of responsibility for waste prevention policy in the UK showed that there is no shortage of organisations with responsibility for waste prevention policy, but that there is perhaps a lack of coordination and strategic focus in the delivery of policies and in the deployment of the necessary resources to follow through on their implementation. A review of waste prevention policies in other countries revealed that, although the UK has few policies targeted directly at waste prevention, the situation is not substantially better elsewhere in terms of polices that can be shown to have measurable household waste prevention impacts. One exception is variable charging for household collected waste, for which there is clear evidence that it incentivises households to reduce waste. Of key importance is that household variable charging also works in synergy with other policies, such as landfill bans, landfill taxes, and other waste prevention initiatives such as packaging take back and home composting promotions. In these instances charging works to support initiatives and enhance their impacts. Charging provides an economic incentive for behavioural change that is in line with other functions within a market-based economy. Direct and Variable Charging was however not considered further in this report as substantial work is already being done on this under the same Defra research programme. The policies examined as case studies in this research were: 1. Implementation Plans for Waste Prevention 2. Inclusion of Home Composting in LA(T)S Waste Prevention Policy Case Studies ii 3. Waste Prevention Targets and Residual Waste Levy 4. Low Waste Schools / Charging for Schools Waste 5. Junk Mail Policies 6. Mandatory Use of Rechargeable Batteries 7. Deepening Producer Responsibility 8. Collaborative Procurement 9. Minimum Standards for Appliances 10. Stimulating Re-use of Durable Goods 11. Extended Product Warranties There is potential for a number of the policies examined to have strong effects and to embed waste prevention more fundamentally in the functioning of the UK economy and in society. Key policies in this context include: Implementation Plans for Waste Prevention; Waste Prevention Targets and Residual Waste Levy; and Extended Product Warranties. Also apparent from the research is that a number of policy mechanisms with the potential to have a positive impact already have substantial elements of the necessary structures in place. In such cases decisions required may simply include extending targets, improving resourcing, and enforcement of policy measures (for example Low Waste Schools / Charging for Schools Waste, Collaborative Procurement). A number of policy areas (e.g. Waste Prevention Targets/Residual Waste Levy, Extended Product Warranties) are likely to require further research to properly determine their potential impact. However, there are other policy areas that could be implemented with little further research. These include: Implementation Plans for Waste Prevention and Junk Mail initiatives. The research team believes there may be merit in establishing a waste prevention policy unit to coordinate the work on waste prevention across the organisations and institutions that currently deal with different aspects of waste prevention. Overall, waste prevention policy is an area that has received relatively little attention in policy terms – not just in the UK, but worldwide – and there remains significant scope for further innovation within this area. Waste Prevention Policy Case Studies iii CONTENTS 111 INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ............................................1... 111 222 OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ......................................................3........ 333 333 SCOPESCOPE................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ................................................................................. ............4444 3.1 What is Household Waste?.................................................................................................4 3.2 What is Waste Prevention?.................................................................................................5 3.3 Definition of ‘a Policy’..........................................................................................................6 444 FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ..................................................8...... 888 4.1 Background..........................................................................................................................8 4.1.1 Household Waste Arisings Growth ..............................................................................8