The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee in a report on waste management in England published on 22 October.
The committee warns that England’s ability to meet its EU recycling target of 50% by 2020 is at risk without clear government leadership, “refreshed policies” and extra support from DEFRA.
The reports also states that anaerobic digestion is the most preferable recovery option for food waste, yet about four million tonnes of food waste still gets sent to landfill each year. The Government must find ways of diverting more food waste out of the residual waste stream by methods which are economically and environmentally viable and suitable to local circumstances. More work is needed to address the numerous issues raised by the practicalities of separate food waste collections.
The committee took evidence from across the waste sector and held hearings over spring and summer. NFU Deputy President, Minette Batters and Environment Policy Advisor, Anna Simpson gave evidence at the inquiry and highlighted the following points:
• Improving the availability of facilities and minimising costs for recycling or disposal of waste
• Utilisation of waste food and biowaste via anaerobic digestion has multiple environmental and economic benefits to the agricultural industry.
• Fly-tipping and the problems faced by landowners
Anna Simpson NFU Environment Advisor said: ‘Government departments should have joined up policies to tackle waste and now is not the time for Defra to be taking a step-back from waste issues’