The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has published its response to a consultation on policies that will stop biodegradable waste from being sent to landfill.
The original Call for Evidence ran for seven weeks, from 26 May to 14 July 2023 and received 62 responses.
It sought evidence and data to help support the development of policies that will achieve the near elimination of biodegradable waste being sent to landfill from 2028.
The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it intends to explore several policies based on responses to the consultation.
These include expanding the list of separately collected wastes that are prohibited from disposal at landfill or incineration without some form of treatment process to include paper and card, food, garden waste, textiles and wood.
Defra said it will also determine how it can eliminate wood wastes from being sent to landfill, including as part of a mixed waste.
Finally, Defra said it intends to extend focus to all biodegradable wastes, such as municipal and non-municipal, at the same time.
What were the main themes from the responses?
Defra said the consultation responses highlighted that planned and unplanned shutdowns of Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities and seasonal variations in the tonnages and composition of residual waste can influence decisions to dispose of biodegradable waste in landfill.
Lack of space for storage of waste during shutdowns or periods where EfW is stretched is also a contributory factor, Defra said the responses showed.
Respondents said that landfill is still considered useful for these reasons and other contingency situations, particularly because waste can be accepted at short notice and there are usually no restrictions on tonnages.
The responses also expressed that it is “essential” that government maintains some landfill provision for biodegradable waste.
Respondents said that the government’s ambition to eliminate biodegradable waste from landfill may not be achievable without policy.
The responses also said there should be certainty around the timings of consistent collections in recycling, particularly food waste, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
Defra said the consultation highlighted that for biodegradable waste diversion policies to be effective they must be supported by “rigorous” regulation and enforcement.
The respondents also said policymakers must take a “holistic view” of all policies relevant to the waste sector and collaborate to ensure there are no unintended consequences, and that additional burdens on authorities are sufficiently monitored.
