Waste Management in England

The revised Waste Framework Directive 2008 (Directive 2008/98/EC) requires Member States to produce one or more waste management plans which cover, alone or in combination, the geographical territory of the Member State concerned.

This consultation is on a Waste Management Plan for England. The content of the Plan is determined by the requirements of Article 28 of the Directive. The Plan is a compilation of existing waste management information and policies. In particular, it reflects the conclusions of the Government Review of Waste Policy in 2011 and developments since the Review was published.

The Plan is complemented by the waste planning policy from the Department for Communities and Local Government [Planning for Sustainable Waste Management] which sets out considerations relating to the location of waste infrastructure. The Department for Communities and Local Government will be consulting on an updated Planning for Sustainable Waste Management this summer.

The Plan does not introduce new waste management measures. The purpose of this consultation, therefore, is to seek views on whether the Plan – when combined with the updated waste planning policy – will fulfil the obligations of Article 28 of the revised Waste Framework Directive as far as England is concerned.

The Plan and the updated waste planning policy will be used by planning authorities who must have regard to these documents when deciding waste planning applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 2004. Local waste authorities must also have regard to the plan when producing local waste plans that establish how they will manage waste within their areas.

The Plan is supported by an Environmental Report produced as part of a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The non technical summary and the environmental report form part of this consultation.