Waste and Emissions Trading Act
Waste and Emissions Trading Act
Summary
Part 1 of the Act provides the framework for the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS), which diverts biodegradable municipal waste from landfill.
Part 2 identifies the legal penalties for direct participants in the UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme, who fail to comply with their emissions reduction targets. It also amends the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Act to provide for the application of penalties within future emissions trading schemes.
Implications
The Act refers to biodegradable waste diversion from landfill therefore it does not directly affect the construction industry. The Act did, however, lead to the introduction of Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategies (JMWMS) and these do impact on construction waste. These strategies are compiled by local government associations across England with the aim of minimising the volume of waste sent to landfill, increasing the amount of materials that are reused and recycled and protecting the environment. Such waste minimisation strategies and the local schemes put into place to divert waste from landfill and aid reuse and recycling will have an impact of construction companies.
Overlaps
This is similar to the Landfill Tax, as both have the aim of encouraging industry to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.
The Environmental Permitting Programme will overlap with Part 2 of this legislation, as it aims to streamline and simplify the PPC Act.
Opportunities
None identified.
Guidance
Guidance is available regionally from your local authority. A list of Local Authority websites can be found at:
http://local.direct.gov.uk/LDGRedirect/Start.do?mode=1
Outlined below is a number of links to local authority websites provided as example guidance only: