National Waste Strategy
Section 92 of the Environment Act 1995 requires SEPA to prepare a national waste strategy for Scotland. This was published in December 1999. The strategy was adopted by the Scottish Executive. The target of preparing 11 Waste Strategy Area Plans proposed in the NWS - the target for preparing these was set for the end of 2000.
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Producer Responsibility Packaging Waste
SEPA is responsible for enforcing the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005 in Scotland. These regulations implement some of the requirements of the EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste and are intended to ensure that Great Britain meets the objectives of the Directive.
Companies with a turnover exceeding £2 million and handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging are affected by the regulations and are required to register with either SEPA or the Environment Agency or join an agency-registered compliance scheme. Registered companies and compliance schemes must submit data on packaging handled and ensure that a certain amount of packaging waste is recovered or recycled.
During 2005, there were 92 companies or company groups registered with SEPA and four compliance schemes with a membership of 1007 UK companies or company groups. The total recovery obligation of these companies was 721,000 tonnes of packaging waste.
SEPA is responsible for monitoring obligated companies. For the purposes of monitoring, SEPA and the Environment Agency base their targets on the location of obligated companies; thus SEPA is responsible for all Scottish companies regardless of which agency or scheme they are registered with. SEPA is also responsible for monitoring accredited reprocessors and exporters in Scotland. For 2005 there were 27 reprocessors and 9 exporters. Other Producer Responsibility initiatives include end of life vehicles and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
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Waste Minimisation
SEPA's Waste Minimisation Initiative is a three year project started in 1998 to encourage systematic reduction of all forms of waste at source, whether discharged to air, water or land.
The main objectives are to:
- build on the variety of valuable waste minimisation projects in Scotland;
- provide a focus to disseminate information;
- encourage a cohesive development strategy, particularly for areas and business sectors where activity is limited; and
- help to meet the solid waste eduction targets of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland.
Outputs from the initiative have included:
- a dynamic internet information site for waste minimisation information in Scotland at www.sepa.org.uk/wastemin;
- a comprehensive training programme for SEPA officers;
- Environmental Opportunities in Agriculture projects in the Tweed and Argyll areas — results to be published early 2001;
- a waste minimisation forum in Dumfries and Galloway; and
- partnership projects such as the East of Scotland Waste Minimisation Project, a series of
UK-wide demonstration projects for the construction industry and a Highlands waste minimisation initiative.
