ARCHIVE: e-Digest Statistics about: Waste and Recycling

Special wastes

Table 10 presents information on reported special waste arisings in each of the countries of the UK. The information on special waste arisings up to 1993/94 were calculated by Waste Regulation Authorities (WRAs) from the consignment notes that accompany and monitor each movement of these wastes. Errors in the reported figures occur because of difficulties in reconciling actual amounts produced in, or transferred between, WRAs with the amounts pre-notified to WRAs before production and transfer, and also because of difficulties in converting to tonnes the volumetric and other measures used on consignment notes. There is some under-reporting because of missing returns from WRAs in England and Wales in 1986/7 and 1987/8.

The transfer of Waste Regulation Authority functions to the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, and the Environment Agency's efforts to set up a new system to monitor special wastes have given rise to difficulties in the collation of data from the consignment note system. Defra has worked closely with the Environment Agency to produce estimates for 1994/5, 1995/6 and 1996/7. Figures covering 1996/7 could be underestimates because of both poor returns and the effect of the implementation of the Special Waste Regulations 1996. These regulations came into effect during the reporting period and widened the range of wastes regarded as 'special'. One consequence of this is the doubling of the reported amount of special waste arisings between 1997/8 and 1998/9.

The Scottish Office previously collected waste management data, including special waste data, for Scotland. These duties have now passed to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

The responsibility for collecting the data for Northern Ireland has now passed to the Environment Heritage Service, a Next Steps Agency of the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland. With the exception of 1996/7, arisings are generally low compared to the rest of the UK.

In Detail:
Total Annual Waste
Further Information:
Key Facts:
Total Annual Waste
Special Waste
Sustainable Development Indicators:
Framework Indicator: Waste
Framework indicator: Resource use
Data Tables:
Table
No.		 Title Download
file type
10 Special waste arisings: 1986/7-2002
Internet Links:
Environment Agency: Hazardous waste data 2001
Scotland Environment Protection Agency: Waste Data Strategy
Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service: Waste Regulation & Legislation

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Page last modified: 13 February 2006
Page published: 13 February 2006