Home > Press releases > Archived press releases > 1997 > Waste minimisation bill set to become law
12 December 1997
A Private Member's Bill, enabling local authorities to promote waste prevention, passed its first major stage in the House of Commons today, and now looks set to become law in the new year. The Waste Minimisation Bill, introduced by Basildon MP, Angela Smith, was given an unopposed Second Reading.
The Bill, promoted by Friends of the Earth and the Women's Environmental Network, gives local authorities the power to take action to prevent the production of waste. Currently,local authorities can make arrangements to deal with waste once it has arisen - by recycling and other means - but cannot make arrangements to prevent the waste being produced in the first place. The Bill will close this obvious loophole, allowing local authorities to promote waste prevention schemes like bottle refill schemes, awards for low waste restaurants/cafes, and encouraging the public to refuse junk mail.
The UK produces 20 million tonnes of waste each year from households alone, nearly 15 million tonnes from shops and offices, and over 70 million tonnes from industry.
Martyn Williams, Parliamentary Campaigner for Friends of the Earth said:
“We are delighted that Angela Smith MP has successfully piloted the Waste Minimisation Bill through the first stage and congratulate her on this success. We now have high hopes that it will become law. It is vital that councils take action to tackle our throwaway society, and this Bill enables them to do that. Instead of binning resources, we should be trying to conserve them”
ENDS
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