Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Waste Incineration and Recycling Rates

12 January 2021 · 6 other contributors · 9,560 words

Opened by Elliot Colburn Con Carshalton and Wallington

Responding minister: Rebecca Pow

Environment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Elliot Colburn raised concerns about waste incineration and recycling rates in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Elliot Colburn raised concerns about emissions breaches, inadequate air quality monitoring, and increased traffic due to the Beddington incinerator in his constituency.
  • Alex Sobel expressed concern over the UK's low recycling rate, highlighting funding issues for kerb-side recycling and the potential closure of a recycling centre in Leeds.
  • Colburn and Sobel both urged the Government to prioritize recycling, reduce waste incineration, and support a circular economy through initiatives like deposit return schemes and anaerobic digestion.

Key requests to Government

Colburn urges the Government to move towards a circular economy, prioritise recycling, and reduce the need for incineration. He asks for an all-in deposit return scheme, better waste sorting methods, and increased responsibilities on producers to minimise packaging and encourage environmentally-friendly options. Sobel asked the Minister to provide funding for changing collection vehicles, bins and boxes, and other associated costs. He also requested a programme to support the development of anaerobic digestion, noting the need for more innovative measures, alternative solutions, and a green industrial revolution towards a circular economy.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Elliot Colburn Con Carshalton and Wallington

Elliot Colburn is concerned about the emissions breaches, inadequate air quality monitoring, and increased traffic in his Carshalton and Wallington constituency due to the Beddington incinerator. He highlighted issues such as delays in promised infrastructure improvements, wildlife habitat damage, and repeated exceedances of carbon monoxide limits. The new south London waste plan is set to increase waste sent to Sutton by over 1 million tonnes annually, exacerbating existing problems with traffic and air pollution. Alex Sobel expressed concern about the UK's low recycling rate, which is closer to 45% when incinerated waste is excluded. He highlighted that Leeds City Council lacks funding for kerb-side glass and Tetra Pak recycling despite strong political will. The council faces £100 million in cost pressures due to covid and austerity measures, leading to proposals for the closure of Ellar Ghyll recycling centre. Sobel noted an increase in household recycling during the pandemic but stressed that it has increased costs for councils which have not been met by the Government.

Other contributors (6)
  • Alex Sobel Lab/Co-op Leeds North West

    He raised concerns about his council's plans related to waste management and highlighted issues around food waste collection and anaerobic digestion processes.

  • Craig Williams Con Montgomeryshire

    Research by WRAP Cymru found that up to 75% of waste in Wales could be recycled instead of being incinerated. Craig Williams expressed concern about the development of an incinerator in Montgomeryshire, advocating for proper planning and consideration during the pandemic. He highlighted the role of non-recyclable waste storage and the importance of anaerobic digesters which are receiving private investment. He emphasised the importance of moving towards a circular economy through 'reduce, reuse, recycle' actions as part of the Government's intention to limit waste that needs treatment at energy-from-waste facilities.

  • Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge

    The MP expressed concerns about the over-reliance on incineration as a means of waste management, citing the environmental impact and inefficiency. He highlighted the increase in CO2 emissions from incinerators and stressed that more capacity would exacerbate pollution and hinder recycling efforts. The MP also mentioned specific instances where colleagues have raised issues with incineration plans, urging for clarity on cross-border waste movements and cooperation between UK nations.

  • Esther McVey Con Tatton

    Called the Front-Bench speakers to speak at about 5.10 pm and noted that people have approximately six or seven minutes for their speeches.

  • Jane Hunt Con Loughborough

    Welcomes aspects of the Government's approach to waste and recycling, such as commitment to creating greater consistency in recycling collections. Raises concern over building new incinerators due to environmental and health impacts, particularly near elite athlete training grounds. Asks for stricter particulate matter limits and carbon capture requirements at construction stage. Expresses worry that incinerator operations will increase vehicle emissions and hinder net zero emissions goals. She raised confusion among students about recycling due to varying practices across different areas and stressed the importance of consistent collections under the Environment Bill.

  • Robbie Moore Con Keighley and Ilkley

    Mr. Moore expressed concern about the decision-making process regarding new waste incinerator applications, particularly focusing on how permits are awarded without considering overall traffic emissions impact on air quality. He also highlighted that despite local opposition, a green light was given for the Aire Valley incinerator project near Keighley and mentioned Public Health England's study findings on particulate matter emissions from waste incinerators affecting human health. He shared his industry experience and highlighted the need for minimising waste reaching lower levels of the waste hierarchy, supporting actions to reduce the amount of waste that goes to incineration or landfill.

Government Response

Rebecca Pow

The minister thanked all hon. Members for their contributions, acknowledging concerns about waste incineration and recycling rates. She highlighted that Sutton is achieving a recycling rate of approximately 49%, one of the highest in London. The Government aims to reduce municipal waste sent to landfill to below 10% by 2035 and eliminate biodegradable waste to landfill by 2030. The Environment Bill includes measures to establish deposit return schemes, extended producer responsibility, and consistent material collections from households and businesses. Over £16 million has been awarded or is being processed for food waste collection and redistribution projects. Carbon impacts of incineration are lower than those of landfilling non-recyclable waste according to available evidence. The minister also mentioned the Prime Minister's 10-point plan, including an ambition to capture 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030 through carbon capture technology.

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