Waste on the Doorstep

New Ground 66
Spring 2004

Joan Ruddock reports on her recycling bill

Everyone should have the opportunity to recycle at their doorstep. That was the key to my Private Member Bill (PMB), now the Household Waste Recycling Act. The original bill was drafted by Friends of the Earth and supported by SERA. I started with massive support from green NGOs and the public, but soon ran into opposition from central government and local government associations. They did not want the new duties and expressed concern about markets and money.

Piloting a PMB is always exciting and, after a rollercoaster of set-backs and triumphs lasting almost a year, the new measures are in place. Every household in England and Wales will have a collection of at least two types of recyclable (or compostable) waste, from the same point of collection as the rest of its rubbish, by the year 2010.

This is a challenge. Some authorities still do nothing, many only collect paper and even more have collections that only serve a minority of their households.

Although I had hoped to legislate for even more waste streams, ‘at least two’ is significant. It makes sense to go for three or four if a council already has to make arrangements for two.

Councils have six years in which to reach their target for all households. A few already comply; others will struggle. The Secretary of State (for Defra) has to report to Parliament by Oct 31, 2004 on progress made by local authorities towards reaching the requirements of the act.

The UK is still at the bottom of European league tables for recycling. Yet most people say they would do more if it were made easier. Some 80% of household waste is potentially recyclable or compostable, but we’re achieving only 13%.

There is much good (and bad) practice from which we can learn and the government is expected to have its guidance to local authorities ready by the end of February.

The new law is a great campaigning tool. I hope all SERA members will take this opportunity to boost recycling at the doorstep.

Joan Ruddock is the MP for Lewisham and Deptford. She is a SERA member.