Today's Topics:
England's Green Taxes on Landfills
GreenYes Digest V98 #68
puchasing preferences
purchasing preferences
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Loop-Detect: GreenYes:98/70
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Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 10:19:08 -0600
From: "John Reindl" <reindl@co.dane.wi.us>
Subject: England's Green Taxes on Landfills
Dear List members -
Here is a news release from Great Britain on the modifications that
they will be making to their taxes on landfills, in part to
encourage waste reduction and recycling..
For a conversion of pounds to dollars, today's USA Today puts a
pound as being equal to $1.67.
John Reindl, Recycling Manager
Dane County, WI
___________________________________________________
ACTION TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF
LANDFILL TAX
The Chancellor today announced a number of changes that are
to be made to the landfill tax to make it more effective as an
environmental tax.
* the standard rate of landfill tax will increase from
7 pounds to 10 pounds per tonne from 1 April 1999;
* the lower rate is frozen at 2 pounds per tonne; and
* inert wastes used in the restoration of landfill sites
and quarries will be exempt from landfill tax from
1 October 1999.
These measures result from a review of landfill tax and its
environmental effects which took account of the concerns of
local authorities, environmental groups and the waste
management industry. In the light of the emerging new national
waste strategy and new European targets on the reduction of
active waste landfilled, further consideration will be given as to
whether further rate increases are necessary to help meet targets
for reducing reliance on landfill.
The review also recognised the success of the Environmental
Bodies Credit Scheme in funding environmental projects.
Customs will consult with interested parties in 1998 to see
whether the scheme could be further improved. In particular, the
Government is interested in examining how the scheme could be
used to encourage more recycling.
Landfill tax will be brought into line with other taxes, like VAT or
duties on drink, cigarettes or petrol, so that in future increases
or cuts in the rate of tax can be brought in immediately after a
Budget without having to wait for Royal Assent to the Finance
Act.
___________________________________________________
DETAILS
1. The review, which received 530 representations, found
that the landfill tax is playing an important role in highlighting
the environmental costs of landfill. Recent research shows that
almost a third of companies began or were considering waste
recycling, re-use or minimisation as a result of the tax. Recycling
and re-use of construction waste is also at an all time high.
2. The original rates of landfill tax were set to reflect the
environmental costs of landfilling. The proposed increase to 10
pounds per tonne retains the basis of that approach, and also
recognises that higher rates of tax on active waste could be an
important tool to help meet targets for reducing the amount of
waste sent to landfill. The 12 month notice of rate changes gives
waste producers and local authorities time to consider alternative
waste strategies such as minimisation, re-use and recycling.
3. Respondents to the review also argued forcefully that
a side effect of taxing waste soils and clays at the lower rate of
landfill tax of 2 pounds per tonne has been a significant drop in
the amounts of such waste available to restore landfill sites or to
fill quarries. The government has responded by proposing to
create an exemption which will encourage the waste
management industry to continue to carry out high quality
restoration of land, for example making land fit for forestry or
agriculture. The delay in implementation will allow time for
Customs to agree its practical application with the industry. In
the meantime, the lower rate is frozen at 2 pounds per tonne.
___________________________________________________
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Landfill tax was introduced on 1 October 1996. It was the
UK's first tax with an explicit environmental purpose. The current
rates of landfill tax are 7 pounds per tonne for active waste and 2
pounds per tonne for inert waste.
2. The Provisional Collection of Taxes Act (1968) (PCTA)
allows tax rate changes announced in the Budget to be brought
into effect by resolution before the Finance Act receives Royal
Assent. The PCTA includes, inter alia, VAT, Insurance Premium
Tax and duties of Customs and Excise, but not the landfill tax.
3. The Environmental Bodies Credit Scheme allows landfill site
operators to claim a 90 per cent tax credit against donations they
make to approved environmental projects subject to these credits
not exceeding 20 per cent of their annual landfill tax bill.
4. The revenue effect of this measure will, on an indexed
basis, be a reduction in the revenue yield of -5 million pounds in
1998/99, and an additional revenue yield of 50 million pounds in
1999/2000 and 60 million pounds in 2000/01. On a non-indexed
base, there will be no revenue effect in 1998/99. The impact
on RPI will be negligible.
5. Details for traders are available in Budget notice BN 74/98,
which is available from Customs and Excise Business Advice
Centres and from the Customs and Excise Internet site.
Press enquiries only to HM Customs and Excise, Public Relations
Office, New King's Beam House, 22 Upper Ground, London, SE1
9PJ. Telephone: 0171 865 5468/5471
Others should contact their local Excise and Inland Customs
Business Advice Centre, listed under Customs and Excise in the
telephone book. [or the landfill tax helpdesk on 0645 128484
(local call rate applies)].
Customs and Excise Internet address:
http://www.open.gov.uk/customs/c&ehome.htm
This news release can also be found at :
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk. Other Treasury material can
also be found at this address.
reindl@co.dane.wi.us
(608)267-1533 - fax
(608)267-8815 - phone
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 18:40:09 -0700
From: "Katharine P. Bennett" <KatBennett@usa.net>
Subject: GreenYes Digest V98 #68
For: John Reindl-
Regarding this request:
<<Dear List Members -
Does anyone know of an email list or a web page that focuses on the
reuse of construction and demolition materials?
We are looking to buy some used construction materials.
thanks much!!
John Reindl, Recycling Manager
Dane County, WI>>
Although the following isn't exclusively C&D materials, it might be a place
to find other sites.
The Environmental Building News Product Catalog
c/o What's Working
PO Box 1004
Boulder, CO 80306
(303) 444-8114, (303) 2686 FAX
email orders to: catalog@whatsworking.com
Or... visit the What's Working site at http://plan.whatsworking.com/WW/
I'd also suggest tapping into the Boulder Energy Conservation Center. Their
project, Resource 2000, provides a supply center for C&D materials:
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/environment/becc/index.html
Hope these help.
Kat Bennett, Program Manager
Eco-Cycle/Longmont
(303) 772-7300
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 12:52:21 EST
From: LISAPAUL <LISAPAUL@aol.com>
Subject: puchasing preferences
Dear List Members:
I'm doing some research on government purchasing preferences for recycled
content products and I'm interested in any information listmembers may want to
share with me. Particularly:
1)pros/cons of various policy methods - price preferences/set-
asides/mandates/etc..
2) adoption of E.O. 12873 at state/local level or thoughts on the
effectiveness of 12873.
3) recycled content procurement success stories or failures.
4) what is the next step for environmental procurement policies - more life
cycle costing?, include other environmental goals (such as use of chlorine
free paper)??
5) overall, have procurement policies been effective in gearing up industry to
utilize recycled feedstock? Or have the various states' minimum content
legislation been a better vehicle?
Thanks for all your help.
Paul Brown
(616) 682-9937 phone/fax
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 12:45:57 EST
From: LISAPAUL <LISAPAUL@aol.com>
Subject: purchasing preferences
Dear List Members:
I'm doing some research on government purchasing preferences for recycled
content products and I'm interested in any information listmembers may want to
share with me. Particularly:
1)pros/cons of various policy methods - price preferences/set-
asides/mandates/etc..
2) adoption of E.O. 12873 at state/local level or thoughts on the
effectiveness of 12873.
3) recycled content procurement success stories or failures.
4) what is the next step for environmental procurement policies - more life
cycle costing?, include other environmental goals (such as use of chlorine
free paper)??
5) overall, have procurement policies been effective in gearing up industry to
utilize recycled feedstock? Or have the various states' minimum content
legislation been a better vehicle?
Thanks for all your help.
Paul Brown
(616) 682-9937 phone/fax
------------------------------
End of GreenYes Digest V98 #70
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