Consistent data will turn around waste industry, Minister says

Having a system with more complete, timely and consistent data on all types of waste would make a considerable difference to the way we managed waste in the UK, Environment Minister Elliott Morley said at the launch.

“Improved performance on tackling waste is a crucial part of Government’s approach to sustainable development,” he commented. “Major advancements can be made in our collective management of all waste streams if we have better evidence and greater understanding of the challenges.”

As well as proposing more robust, consistent arrangements for collecting data, Mr Morley announced that Defra would develop and fund a central data warehouse where all the information would be stored. He confirmed that this would also be accessible via the internet.

The proposals, which have been developed in conjunction with the Environment Agency, have also had large amounts of input from various waste experts and key organisations.

“Our proposals make good business and environmental sense. These kinds of improvements will underpin our efforts to deliver sound waste management, helping local authorities and industry to plan more effectively and deliver better services,” Mr Morley concluded.

The consultation closes on 31 December, following which Defra hopes to publish a final strategy and begin the development of data storage and dissemination systems.

By Jane Kettle