Review into regulation and enforcement in waste sector launches

Resource Minister launches review to stimulate growth and innovation in waste sector.

A review into the regulatory and enforcement barriers to growth and innovation in the waste sector launches today as part of a scheme to save British businesses £10 billion.

The waste regulation review is one of the first being taken forward under the government’s Cutting Red Tape programme – a scheme that looks to identify barriers to growth and innovation and deliver savings of £10 billion by cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and streamlining processes across five sectors including energy, agriculture and waste.

The waste review calls for evidence on the impact of regulations across the industry – from production and processing to collection, disposal and treatment – and will be used to identify and remove barriers to advancing the sector whilst ensuring human health and the environment remain protected.

Calling on businesses to submit evidence, Resource Minister Rory Stewart said:

"This review is an exciting opportunity to look at what else we can do to cut needless bureaucracy and remove unnecessary burdens on businesses in the waste sector.

"We have already delivered savings of just under £1 million a year by removing requirements for businesses to create site waste management plans and I hope this review will identify more barriers we can remove to open up the industry to further growth and innovation."

The review will complement work by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure regulatory effort is targeted effectively and focused on speedy and tough enforcement action where necessary.

Rory Stewart added:

"The review supplements our ongoing work on waste crime and we will shortly be publishing the government response to the recent consultation on legislative proposals to enhance the Environment Agency’s enforcement powers.

"This review is about giving the people who work in the waste industry a voice, giving them an opportunity to have a say on regulations that affect them, and creating an efficient and productive waste industry."

Industry members and stakeholders can submit evidence to the review via cutting-red-tape.cabinetoffice.gov.uk.