ARCHIVE: Report chapter 3: Reducing waste and recycling, and water use
Each year England generates about 100 million tonnes of waste. Most of this goes to land-fill sites where biodegradable waste gives off methane, one of the most powerful greenhouse gases. Also, a great deal of valuable energy is used to make new products which are later thrown away. Both contribute to climate change.
The Government's Waste Strategy 2007, published by Defra, aims to help England increasingly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from waste management. The objectives are simple: less waste, more re-use and recycling, more energy from waste and less landfill. This we will make a significant contribution to achieving the Climate Change PSA and resource efficiency goals.
For the public and for businesses this means separating out waste that can be recycled, home composting more and throwing less away. This should be facilitated by good waste management by local authorities and waste management companies. If people do not change their behaviour, there will be increased costs as investment in more expensive waste technologies will be needed.
Good waste management ensures that household waste is collected, fly-tipping is reduced, and nuisance from waste facilities is limited. It also means that public health and the environment are protected through safe management of potentially hazardous substances.
Action to bring about improvements in disability equality
Accessibility is a key feature of the recently introduced 'Recycle on the Go' scheme.
This is a new drive to put accessible recycling bins in public places. The scheme was developed in partnership between Defra, Recycle Now and Encams (also known as the Keep Britain Tidy campaign). Wherever possible, bins will feature the familiar 'Recycle Now' signage so people can easily identify where and how to recycle their cans, bottles and paper.
The guidance and brand guidelines published on the launch of 'Recycle on the Go' have been prepared to help those who provide recycle bins in public places to introduce accessible schemes. The guidance recommends that providers consider the public at all stages so that they are able to make use of any recycle bins by making sure that bins are placed properly and are as accessible as possible for everyone, including disabled and elderly people. Providers are advised to consult user groups and sources of specialist advice on accessibility, especially where any concerns or doubts exist.
The Recycle Now signage and the recommendations for signs detailed in the guidance have been designed to meet the needs of disabled people.
Use of standard signage across different providers' schemes, coupled with good local communications, is expected to help make public place recycle bins easy to recognise.
England currently disposes of 58% of public waste in landfill; changing behaviour is essential if this figure is to reduce.
Following public consultation and support from councils, the Government has announced new powers in the Climate Change Bill for up to 5 local authorities in England to pilot waste incentive schemes, to encourage reduced household waste and increase recycling.
Defra consulted on its policy to introduce financial incentives in May 2007. The consultation stated that it would be essential for local authorities to have in place enforcement strategies and measures to help disadvantaged groups before introducing financial incentive schemes. We also included a specific question seeking views on the requirement that Government should place on authorities as regards disadvantaged groups.
In response to the consultation a number of stakeholders stated that authorities should take account of the disabled; these views were reflected in the final version of the legislation, which requires an incentive scheme to take 'account of the needs of groups who might be unduly disadvantaged by it'.
Any incentive scheme should therefore consider, for example, the needs of disabled people and consider whether it needs to put in place different arrangements for them. Such arrangements could include, for example, flexibilities in payment methods, partial rebates or allowances, provision of free bin space or sacks or an exemption from the scheme altogether.
Councils wanting to pilot a scheme will be able to design and submit their own schemes to fit local circumstances, for approval by the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Strong checks and balances have been put in place for householders including a:
- requirement that the local authorities provide a good kerbside recycling service so that residents have ample opportunity to recycle
- requirement that the local authorities take account of the needs of any potentially disadvantaged groups when piloting the schemes
- requirement to have a fly-tipping prevention strategy in place
Increased recycling would save between 500,000 and 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The cost savings from less waste going to treatment would be significant, and sufficient to outweigh costs associated with setting up and running the incentive schemes.
Action to bring about improvements in disability equality
Defra will consider how the impact of pilot waste incentives schemes on disadvantaged groups, including disabled people, could be built into the evaluation of any local authority schemes.
Payment for carrier bags has recently become another high profile subject with a great deal of public interest. The Equality Impact Assessment for this policy highlighted that some disabled people may be more likely than other people to forget to take a reusable bag with them when they go shopping. The powers needed to bring forward legislation on carrier bags have been taken through Parliament. Checks and balances will be aired with relevant disability groups if the decision is made to legislate.
Water Use
Defra is responsible for social and environmental policy on water and sewerage services in England . In doing so it must consider the needs of certain groups of people. These groups are not limited to disabled people but include those that are chronically sick; pensioners; those on low incomes; and those living in rural areas.
The economic regulator for water services (Ofwat) and the consumer representative (the Consumer Council for Water) also have duties to consider the interests of these groups.
WaterSure is the new name for the 'Vulnerable Groups Scheme', which was introduced on 1 April 2000 to help people who might otherwise be afraid to turn on their taps, possibly compromising their health and the health of others because of worries about paying their water bill.
Households are eligible for this cheaper tariff if they have a water meter, are in receipt of certain income-related benefits, have a medical condition which results in a substantial increase in their use of water or have three or more dependent children under the age of 19 in full time education.
Defra, Ofwat, the Consumer Council for Water and Water UK (the industry representative) work together to improve take up of the tariff. The numbers of households benefitting because of health or disability has doubled from 5,027 households in 2006 to 10,052 in 2008, and they make up approximately 40% of all those in receipt of the tariff.
Action to bring about improvements in disability equality
Defra published the Government's new water strategy for England , 'Future Water' in February 2008. It announced, amongst other things, an intention to commission an independent review of household charging and metering for water and sewerage services.
The review is currently underway and is looking at social, economic and environmental concerns around charging for water. This includes consideration of the effectiveness of different types of social and block tariffs paying particular attention to how these can help particular households, including those of disabled people.
A hosepipe ban [Footnote] also has the potential to inconvenience disabled people (and the elderly and infirm), because they may be less able to water their gardens or wash their cars with a heavy watering can rather than a hosepipe. Water companies do, however, have the discretion to allow disabled people to continue to use hosepipes during a ban.
Action to bring about improvements in disability equality
Defra is proposing to extend the range of non-essential uses of water that can be restricted under a ban.
The proposed revisions to the hosepipe ban powers will make it clearer that the companies do have discretion to allow disabled people to continue to use their hosepipes during a ban. Defra has also asked the water industry to develop a code of practice, which will set out how the water companies use their discretion in practice.
Page last modified: 1 December 2008
Page published: 1 December 2008