Consider the impact of packaging landfill ban suggests report
The Green Alliance have stated that the Government must be clear in their objectives prior to setting a landfill ban for packaging materials to avoid accidently incinerating recyclable material.
The Packaging Strategy set up by Defra suggests that the Government would study the possibility of a banning the addition of aluminium from landfill.
Following extensive research on the impact of landfill bans in Europe and the USA, the environmental body discovered that in a number of cases incineration had increased as a result of a ban. They further added that the Government should "discourage the incineration of recyclable or compostable materials, to ensure they are treated as high up the waste hierarchy as possible".
In an interview with Packaging News, Green Alliance associate, Julie Hill said that one of the things highlighted by the research was that other countries considered a variety of methods to deal with waste, even though final objectives may be different. She said, "It's good to see it as a package of instruments to reduce waste that ends up in landfill, because there is not a one-size-fits-all solution".
Julie added that discussions over long-term objectives was needed to decide the best way forward, adding, "You have got to come to a view over what exactly you want to achieve before you can decide what the appropriate instruments are".
The report says that there should be good communication, sufficient lead times, a simple compliance system, public support and adequate resources to police such a policy.
