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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the policies in the United Kingdom Management Plan for Exports and Imports of Waste. [124080] Mr. Meacher: Existing policies on exports and imports of waste are set out in the United Kingdom Management Plan for Exports and Imports of Waste, which came into effect on 1 June 1996. These reflect the long-standing UK commitment to self-sufficiency in waste disposal and the well-established proximity principle, namely that waste should be disposed of in, or as close as possible to, the country of origin. Since the Plan has been in force, there have been a number of changes at national and international level which have altered the arrangements for transfrontier shipments of waste. My Department will be issuing tomorrow for public consultation a revised draft of the United Kingdom Management Plan for Exports and Imports of Waste, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The main proposals for changes to existing UK policies are: to permit shipments between Northern Ireland and Ireland for local disposal, provided they are in accordance with waste management plans being drawn up by the Northern Ireland District Councils; to permit exports and imports for trial runs provided that strict criteria are met; and further limited restrictions on imports of waste for disposal. Furthermore, the Plan reiterates the UK's commitment to the self-sufficiency principle. The UK will only allow wastes to be imported for disposal in the UK from developed countries in extremely limited circumstances. Imports from developing countries are not quite so tightly restricted, but the expectation is still that such countries will as quickly as is feasible put in place the appropriate facilities to dispose of their own waste, as far as is compatible with environmentally sound and efficient management. This Plan is separate from, but consistent with, the various domestic strategies in the UK, including the England and Wales Waste Strategy which will be launched tomorrow.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

124080; 350 c540-1W;350 c542-3W

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Exports Imports Waste management Waste disposal

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk