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Household Waste Prevention - Workstream Plan

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Household Waste Prevention - Workstream Plan

Action

Task

By Whom

By When

Progress

Commentary

1.Sustainable design

Publish report on work being done to encourage sustainable design/sustainable products

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

(with advice from the Scottish Executive ( SE))

End 2007

Contact: Sustainable Design Forum, Design Business Association, Design Council., DEFRA

2.Product lifespans

Provide information to consumers on product lifespans, guarantees and availability of spare parts

Scottish Waste Awareness Group ( SWAG) (with advice from the Scottish Executive)

March 2008

Contact: Sheffield Hallam University Centre for Sustainable Consumption

3. Producer responsibility

Publish report on potential to introduce further producer responsibility initiatives

SEPA

Dec 2007

SEPA to make recommendations to Scottish Executive in line with existing legislation (sections 93 to 95 of the Environment Act 1995), and taking account of links with DEFRA.

http://www.sepa.org.uk/producer/index.htm .

http://www.sepa.org.uk/pdf/producer/monitoring_strategy_2006.pdf.

3a. continue to publish reports on existing producer responsibility schemes

SEPA

ongoing

4. Food waste

Reduce food waste

Waste and Resources Action Programme ( WRAP) / SWAG

2010

Activities associated with WRAP's retail programme.

Contact: WRAP have existing contacts with retailers and with the British/Scottish Retail Consortium

4a. pilot new food waste campaign, aimed primarily at householders

SWAG (working with WRAP)

end 2007

4b. develop smarter packaging, to increase shelf-life of products

WRAP

progress check, Feb 2008

4c. develop marketing approaches with retailers, to reduce food waste

WRAP

end Mar 2008

4d. improve consumer understanding of food labels

WRAP

Contact: Food Standards Agency

5. Packaging

Reduce amount of packaging waste

SE / WRAP / SWAG/ SEPA

2010

Activities associated with WRAP's retail programme.

5a. develop lighter weight or reusable packaging

WRAP

ongoing, progress report Feb 2008

5b. explain purpose of packaging, including what may be considered as excessive

SWAG / SEPA

End 2007

5c. develop improved systems for complaints

SWAG / SEPA

April 2008

Speak to WRAP, packaging industry, Local Authorities (including trading standards), SEPA and retailers

5d. consider whether further action required on packaging legislation.

SE/ SEPA

5e. develop improved packaging guidelines for adoption by retailers

WRAP

Ongoing, progress report Feb 2008

6.Purchasing decisions

Influence consumer purchasing decisions

SWAG

Ongoing

6a. promote online waste exchanges

SWAG

6b. promote use of charity shops / auctions to encourage re-use

SWAG/ CRNS

6c. promote buying experiences rather than gifts

SWAG

6d. promote borrowing / hiring items

SWAG

7. Plastic / paper bags

Agree Carrier Bag Code of Practice to reduce environmental impact of bags by 2008

SE

End Feb 2007

BRC, retailers, UK Government, plastics industry

8. Unwanted mail

Reduce unwanted mail by 10%

SE / SEPA / SWAG

2010

8a. ensure Direct Marketing Association ( DMA) code of practice extends to Scotland

SE

September 2007

Meeting with DMA arranged for 5 March

8b. continue to promote Mailing Preference Service ( MPS)

SWAG

ongoing

SE will discuss with DEFRA and DTI

8c. Write to Royal Mail to ensure door to door service opt out for unaddressed mail is clear

SE

8d. Work with electoral registration officers to promote key information to voters on how to opt out of edited version of the electoral register

SWAG, with support from the SE

SE will discuss with the Scotland Office.

8e. Promote use of online billing for utility companies

SWAG

8f. Ensure advice to householders on issues relating to unwanted mail (eg data protection, staying off mailing lists, mail from bodies the householder already has a relationship with) is up to date and accurate

SWAG, with support from the SE and SEPA.

Contact: Information Commissioner's Office

8g. Provide letter templates on website to assist householders wishing to write to bodies to remove name from mailing list

SWAG

Link to Waste Prevention Guide which includes templates

9. Home composting

Further encourage home composting

WRAP / SWAG/ CRNS

WRAP's existing home composting scheme, supported by SWAG, will extend to all 32 local authorities in Scotland in 2007/08

9a. Increase support for master composter schemes, including advice for communal gardens

CRNS and WRAP, with support from SWAG

Proposal by CRNS to WRAP by Mar '07

9b. Continue to encourage use of food digesters and wormeries

WRAP, with support from SWAG and CRNS

10. Nappies

Reduce the waste impact of nappies

SE / SEPA / SWAG / CRNS

Sustain 3000 tonnes per year

10a. Continue discussion with Absorbent Hygiene Products Manufacturers Association ( AHPMA)

SE

Ongoing

10b. Support for real nappies through CRNS

CRNS

10c. Information on nappies both disposable and re-useable) on SWAG website

SWAG

11. Reuse framework

Develop Reuse Framework

SE / SEPA / CRNS / SWAG

December 2007

11a. Encourage local waste exchanges

CRNS / SWAG / SEPA

11b. Improve reuse facilities at recycling centres

SE / CRNS / SEPA

Being discussed with local authorities and others in context of work to meet longer term recycling targets

11c. Campaign to prevent reusable items being wasted

SWAG / CRNS

11d. Further action on repair / refurbishment

SE / CRNS / SEPA

11e. Encourage reuse of paint

CRNS / SWAG / SEPA

11f. Encourage further reuse of bulky items (including white goods).

SE / CRNS / SEPA

Items from special uplifts and those collected by community sector.

Advice to local authorities.

11g. Learn from experience of reuse elsewhere

CRNS / SE / SEPA

12. Community composting

Establish further 20 community composting sites

CRNS

2008

12a. SEPA to consider changes to charging regime and make recommendations to SE on legislation.

SEPA

Summer 2007

13. INCREASE waste prevention projects

Monitor and report success of INCREASE waste prevention projects

SE

March 2008

13a. SE to ensure Momenta monitor effectively the waste prevention projects funded through INCREASE

SE

Contact: Momenta (who administer the INCREASE programme)

14. Education / awareness

Ensure waste prevention measures in Ecoschools / other education initiatives

SE / SEPA

March 2007

14a. Assist with update of waste chapter in Ecoschools handbook

SWAG / SE / SEPA

15. Guidance on bin sizes / collection frequency

Provide advice to local authorities on size of residual bins, frequency of residual collections and use of receptacles for recycling.

SE

August 2007

16. Landfill bans

Review annually the possibility of introducing further landfill bans on materials.

SE / SEPA

First review by December 2007

Consult with WRAP, REMADE, waste industry, Cosla and SEPA

17. Charging for other types of waste

Review Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 which allow charges to be made by local authorities for the collection of specific types of household waste.

SE

January 2008

Consult with CoSLA and SEPA.

18. Guidance on SLA's / contracts

Issue guidance to local authorities on mainstreaming waste prevention into Service Level Agreements / Contracts.

SE

December 2007

Work with WRAP

19. Incentives

Consider, with Local authorities and others, the role of incentives in recycling / waste prevention.

SE

Summer 2007

Workshops on 15 Feb and 16 March to discuss a number of issues including incentives.

20. Spending review 2007

Consider, as part of Spending Review 2007, if further resources should be allocated to waste prevention specifically and how resources should be allocated to ensure waste is prevented.

SE

Summer 2007

Additional points

  • SE to continue monitoring introduction of new reverse vending systems introduced by supermarkets etc
  • SE to obtain information on statutory and voluntary deposit-return systems in EU

Scottish Executive
Scottish Environment Protection Agency
February 2007

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Page updated: Friday, February 23, 2007