SUSTAINABLE WASTE STRATEGY

Early day motion 851, tabled 12 February 2002 by Mark Lazarowicz (Labour/Co-operative). Signed by 98 members.

That this House is concerned at the three per cent. annual growth in municipal waste in the UK and at the low proportion of this waste which is recovered and recycled relative to our European neighbours; notes the importance of the environmental productivity and the need to encourage industry to use fewer natural resources and less energy to produce the same amount of goods; urges the Government further to develop its sustainable waste strategy at the next Budget by allowing local authorities to introduce volume-based charging for domestic waste, converting the landfill tax into a waste disposal tax, removing the climate change levy exemption on energy from incineration and landfill, and giving incentives to manufacturers to reduce or recover packaging; and believes that, since waste reduction and increased recycling are the only sustainable solutions consistent with enhancing long-term economic productivity, the Government should include annual waste reduction targets in its proposed Environmental Productivity Index.

Signatures by party: Labour 60, Liberal Democrat 25, Labour/Co-operative 6, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 2, UUP 2, Conservative 1.