Revised Waste Strategy Consultation Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority is carrying out a review of its waste strategy

and has identified a cross section of industry experts including CEOs, trade bodies, the third sector and senior figures from local government to gather views on the key issues affecting industry, and to capture opinions and reflections on the proposed direction. A baseline review has been undertaken to develop the proposed objectives below and the report is available at: http://www.gmwda.gov.uk/clientfiles/File/Baseline%20Review%20Final%2020_12_11.pdf We would appreciate your input in developing the Strategy by answering the questions below. Please feel free to only answer the questions that are relevant to you. Our Aim is Zero Waste (question 1) What is your view of zero waste and do you think it can be realistically delivered? Context We have made a commitment to work towards Zero Waste, so it is important to understand exactly what that means to us. To be clear about where we are heading we have defined Our Aim is Zero Waste below. Proposed overall aim Our Aim is Zero Waste maximises the sustainable use of resources by encouraging the prevention, reuse and closed loop recycling and composting of waste, and recovering energy from the remainder that cannot be economically or technically separated, sending as little as possible to landfill. Although interpretations of zero waste may vary widely, most often, it is understood as sending as little waste as possible to landfill. More ambitiously, it has also been interpreted as an aspirational end-point, where all resources are cyclical. Our vision therefore includes the aspiration to move towards a cyclical society by focusing on prevention, reuse and recycling, and also implements the best practical way of dealing with todays residual waste by recovering the energy value. Question 1: What is your view of zero waste and do you think it can be realistically delivered?

Delivering Zero Waste (questions 2 and 3) Do you think these are suitable targets to deliver Zero Waste? and What are your views on the quantity vs quality recycling debate? Context The following three policy objectives set targets to measure our progress in delivering Our Aim is Zero Waste. Proposed policy objective 1 To develop waste prevention, reuse and recycling services across Greater Manchester to halve the amount of residual waste. Waste prevention is the best option because no resources are exploited, or emissions created, in the first place. However, waste prevention is difficult to deliver with certainty, requiring actions to be taken beyond the direct control of the Authority and its Page 1 of 5

partners. We therefore propose a co-ordinated approach that equally promotes prevention, reuse and recycling to deliver a reduction in waste with a greater degree of certainty. Whilst flexible in the long term our current treatment capacities would mean that overall waste would need to be reduced by 15%, which would result in recycling increasing to over 60%. However, if housing growth targets are realised then waste per household would need to reduce by 30% to achieve the same result, unless new recycling capacity was built. Proposed policy objective 2 To reduce the amount of residual waste landfilled to the minimum that can be technically and economically achieved, with a target to achieve 90% diversion from landfill by 2015. Zero waste is commonly interpreted as sending no waste to landfill. A credible zero waste vision must therefore reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill to the minimum that can be achieved. Proposed policy objective 3 To meet the 50% recycling target across Greater Manchester by 2015, focusing on providing quality materials for closed loop recycling, thus promoting resource efficiency and supporting the economy by providing access to raw materials. In Greater Manchester we have 21 Household Waste Recycling Centres, and have implemented a four stream kerbside collection system that enables the recycling of three streams: pulpables, commingled and organics. We collect paper, card and tetra paks together, use a single bin for glass bottles, jars, cans, aerosols, foil, and plastic bottles, and co-collect garden waste with food wastes. Over the past few years we have wrestled with the question of how to balance the quality of materials collected against achieving high recycling rates, and maintain a service that is easy to use. The number of (particularly heavy) materials collected has the largest impact on recycling rates, whilst enabling materials to be collected in the same bin provides a service that is easy for residents to use. Clearly, therefore allowing resident to recycle many items in the same bin will increase recycling rates, but also increases the number of materials that have to be mechanically separated, and thus the likelihood of contamination. We believe we have got the balance right with a three bin recycling system. Pertinently, we are confident these materials, collected together in this particular combination, can be separated for existing end markets. However, there is increasing demand from residents to collect a wider range of materials such as mixed plastics. Likewise, producers and retailers desire a mechanism to recover post consumer packaging, and would also like local authorities to be able to collect a wider range of materials at the doorstep. We have decided, however, that separation technologies, and markets, must be developed further to ensure that mixed plastics will be recycled, prior to them being collected. Question 2: Do you think these are suitable targets to deliver Zero Waste?

Question 3: What are your views on the quantity vs quality recycling debate?

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Engaging the community (questions 4 and 5) How do you think we should encourage residents to participate? and How do you think the community sector can help to deliver zero waste? Context We will deliver our objectives jointly with Waste Collection Authorities, and our contractor Viridor Laing, and importantly, we will require individuals and the community to play a key part. Proposed policy objective 4 To increase understanding of the actions that individuals can take to prevent, reuse, recycle and recover wastes through education leading to a sense of community ownership by educating every household. The principal barrier to individuals using their recycling service is a lack of understanding about what can be recycled and how the services operate. This results in both low levels of recycling and poor quality recyclates. Likewise, participation in waste prevention and reuse activities is likely to be low if residents do not understand what to do. Proposed policy objective 5 To support behavioural change through a combination of measures that will increase the opportunity and motivation to prevent, reuse and recycle waste and reduce the opportunity to throw away wastes that have not been separated. It is human nature to often follow the easiest path, therefore, it is necessary to first address the situational barriers to make prevention, reuse and recycling as easy as possible by increasing the frequency, ease of use, and capacity of services. In tandem, the opportunity to throw away wastes that have not been separated should be reduced to increase the motivation to prevent, reuse and recycle. This will naturally result in more people participating without the need to change attitudes. Despite making the service as easy as possible, and educating everyone, the opportunity to dispose of un-segregated waste will still exist. This suggests there will still be a need to influence residents through a co-ordinated approach that gets the message across using trusted sources, incentives, and salient messages. Question 4: How do you think we should encourage residents to participate?

Proposed policy objective 6 To encourage and support the community and voluntary sector to deliver waste services, backing innovative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle wastes within our communities. The delivery of waste prevention, reuse and recycling is dependent on a myriad of small actions within the community. Therefore, we feel it is necessary to embrace the enthusiasm within the community and develop community led initiatives. We also recognise that delivery of Our Aim is Zero Waste will require innovation to push wastes

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up the hierarchy. Connecting with the talent in the third sector will increase the opportunity to develop new ways of dealing with waste.

Question 5: How do you think the community sector can help to deliver zero waste?

Protecting the environment (question 6) What are your views on the best indicators of sustainable waste management? Context We are dedicated to using the most environmentally beneficial treatment options. This means we have taken measures across our sites to reduce emissions. Proposed policy objective 7 To ascertain a high level of environmental protection, delivering a reduction in carbon emissions through the targeted recycling of materials with high direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, and support renewable energy production through deriving energy from waste to replace fossil fuels. Strategically, we have considered both direct greenhouse gas emissions during treatment, and indirect emissions in the supply chain as a tool to determine the best way to treat wastes. To deal with direct greenhouse gas emissions we have maximised the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill. We take into account the supply chain emissions when deciding whether it is best to recycle or recover the energy from wastes. In most cases this has lead us to prioritise resource recovery over energy from wastes. We will, for example, recycle glass and metals, but our efficient use of Solid Recovered Fuel linked to a 24/7 energy intensive chemical production process means it will sometimes be better to recover energy from wastes with a high calorific value. Question 6: What are your views on the best way to assess and monitor that environmental protection is being improved?

Supporting business (questions 7 and 8) What role do you think local authorities can play in promoting more sustainable business practices? and Do you think there is a demand for local authority facilitated business waste collections, or trade waste recycling facilities? Context Promoting sustainable household consumption forms a fundamental part of the our work to reduce waste, but this sits as part of a bigger picture that requires leaner production processes, greater environmental consumer choice, smarter procurement and a stronger link between the design and recovery of materials. Proposed policy objective 8 To support business to reduce, reuse and recycle, or recover energy from waste, and increase understanding of the actions government and business can take to develop increased producer responsibility. Nationally, the Waste Disposal Authority understands it is a key link in the resource chain between the householder and re-processor. The development of a consistent large scale Page 4 of 5

collection system provides manufacturers with a route to recover materials, and certainty regarding the design changes required for them to recover the products they make. Locally, small to medium sized companies have the lowest recycling rates, and consequently will be disproportionately affected by future landfill tax rises. We therefore propose to facilitate the collection and recycling of waste from small businesses, as well as developing opportunities for businesses to bring their wastes to us for recycling. Question 7: What role do you think local authorities can play in promoting more sustainable business practices?

Question 8: Do you think there is a demand for local authority facilitated business waste recycling collections, or trade waste recycling facilities?

General (Question 9) Context This section provides you with the opportunity to raise any other issues that you think we need to consider. Question 9: Do you have any other comments?

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