Sustainability: Government seeks views on waste management and prepares to set environmental targets

News

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is consulting on a draft revised Waste Management Plan for England, which it is legally required to review every six years. The Plan aims to reduce health and environmental impacts by improving resource use and waste management. Defra is specifically seeking views on:

• whether the Waste Management Plan meets statutory requirements as laid out in the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
• whether the Plan will place additional burdens on businesses, consumers and local authorities
• the conclusions of the Environmental Report which supports the Plan.

IWFM will be responding to the consultation and welcomes feedback from members with an interest in this topic. The link to the consultation is here (closing date 15 October 2020).

Environment Bill

Meanwhile, a new Government policy paper sets out its plans to develop legally binding targets on air quality, water, waste and biodiversity under the Environment Bill 2020.

This major piece of legislation is currently passing through Parliament and aims to set a new framework for environmental governance in order to deliver ‘the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth’. The policy paper (link here) sets out the scope and process for developing the targets which will be subject to public consultation.

If you would like to share your views on this article, please email: [email protected] 

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