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2 July 2005 - Composting Exemptions in
Waste Reg's Not to be Amended
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In March 2005, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra) announced that six exemptions from waste management licences
would be amended, including:
However, changes to the composting exemption in the Waste
Management Licensing Regulations 2005 will not be in force from 1 July 2005.
The amendments would allowed composting groups to apply for an
exemption to the waste management licence, allowing them to transport waste
material to one site to be composted, and then to another for use - the
so-called 'import/export' criteria.
Local Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw commented:
"Increasing the amount of organic waste composted is one of
our key objectives; as such we want to encourage the growth of the community
composting sector.
"Nevertheless, composting does pose a risk to the environment and human health.
We have therefore decided to reconsider this exemption for composting to ensure
that the revised controls reduce this risk, whilst fulfilling our aim of
encouraging composting."
Mr Bradshaw also commented that there was a 'real need' for
further assessment of the environmental impact of composting, and until these
assessments are complete, the import/export criteria will remain in place.
A letter has been sent to all stakeholders affected by this
change which can be accessed by clicking the following link:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/management/pdf/050630-composting.pdf
For further information, you can get in contact with Richard
Carpenter in the Licensing and Enforcement Unit, Defra on 020 7082 8770.
For those unsure of how this will affect them individually and
about registration of the exemption, please contact your Environment Agency
local office.
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