'98 Update

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Waste

Introduction

Waste is a major problem in Hertfordshire as it is in every other county. Currently all of our waste is disposed of in landfill sites but these sites are running out of space and fewer are coming into being. In fact, in Hertfordshire it is expected that we will run out of landfill space by early next century. The County Council and the district and borough councils are working together to address this issue by preparing a joint waste management strategy.

Indicator 1: Household waste production per capita and

Indicator 2: Household waste produced per household for 1997/98

Total waste produced is the amount of household waste collected by the 10 district/borough councils, plus what is received at the Household Waste Sites, and what is taken out of the system for recycling. Waste production per capita is calculated by dividing this total by the population of Hertfordshire. The total is divided by number of households for the waste production per household.

This year's average waste production per capita has risen by 5.2% on the previous year, while the average quantity of waste produced per household is up by 4.7%.

Indicator 3: Percentage of waste recycled from total measured household waste.

Recycling is an important element of any waste management strategy, partly because it has the benefit of reducing the amount of waste requiring disposal. There is evidence that the percentage of waste being recycled within Hertfordshire is continuing to increase.

In the case of each of the individual district or borough councils the percentage shown relates to the quantities of household waste they recovered, and for which they claimed recycling credits, expressed as a proportion of the total household waste collected. 12.74% of waste received at the County Council Waste Sites was recycled in 1997/1998.

Since last year household waste recycling has grown from 33,000 to 39,000 tonnes.

The effect of waste minimisation initiatives, such as home composting, are not shown as there is no reliable way to accurately measure their effect, but they are equally beneficial in reducing the amount of waste needing to be disposed of. The County Councilís Home Composting Sponsorship Scheme has encouraged many of the district and borough councils to promote the sale of home composting units, at reduced prices, to their residents, with the result that now more than 7% of the households in Hertfordshire have purchased units.

WasteAware is a joint campaign operated by Hertfordshire County Council and the district / borough councils, aimed at addressing the modern challenges of waste management. The campaign seeks to make people aware of the issues surrounding waste and the environmental impact of waste management, whilst promoting the principles of the Waste Hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

• Reducing the amount of waste we produce
• making the best use of what waste is produced
• choosing waste management practices which minimise the risks of immediate and future environmental pollution and harm to health.

• 'Less Waste More Value' the Government's consultation paper on the waste strategy for England and Wales.
• 'Review of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997', a consultation paper issued by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

For further information contact: Ray Greenall, Hertfordshire County Council Environment Department (01992) 556160