A code of practice that will seek to improve the quality of materials outputted from facilities, may be enforced in law, the Government has revealed.
The Waste Review says that a voluntary responsibility deal will be introduced for the waste management industry, and one of its objectives will be to improve the quality of materials.
The review states: “The responsibility deal with the waste management industry will also promote quality in the way recyclable materials are sorted, particularly at material recovery facilities, through an industry-led code of practice.
“This is key to maintaining the credibility of commingled collections under the revised Waste Framework Directive as well as future markets for recyclable materials, in the UK and abroad. The code will include requirements for the measurement of the quality of the input and output material, which will give the MRFs clients (local authorities, business, reprocessors) confidence in the quality of recyclates and contamination levels.
“With input from the Environmental Services Association and industry, Defra will urgently draw to a conclusion its work to explore ways of maximising the code, including the possibility of making it mandatory.”
