GreenYes Digest V98 #71

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Fri, 22 Jan 1999 17:32:16 -0500


GreenYes Digest Fri, 20 Mar 98 Volume 98 : Issue 71

Today's Topics:
England's Green Taxes on Landfills
Subsidy Issue

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Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 16:08:27 +0000
From: "Caroline Brimblecombe" <caroline.brimblecombe.pt@norfolk.gov.uk>
Subject: England's Green Taxes on Landfills

John Reindl writes

> 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..

Thought GreenYes might be interested in some more of
the background to the UK waste situation. It is true that
the previous government introduced a landfill tax of 7 pounds per
tonne (about $12.00), 2 pounds for inert waste, and the
current government has maintained it (and effective April 1999
slightly increased it). A strong tradition against hypothecation of
taxes (that is, earmarking) means the funds go to Customs and Excise,
not directly to support waste minimisation initiatives or related
environmental projects. There is a mechanism for tapping into this
money, but it's somewhat complicated and is still not strictly
limited to environmental projects (eg, restoration of a historic
church could qualify).

The UK's overreliance on landfill and the government's support of
this is creating a difficult situation for waste planners. Unlike
the US, the UK has a system of central planning, and county waste
plans are expected to fit with central govt thinking. Central govt's
recent views on this issue appear to be in favour of landfill. The UK
is an European Union (EU) member state but has challenged EU
policy/proposed policy on a variety of issues, including landfill.

It is important to point out, that in some cases older landfills are
in use here in the UK, and are not lined or not lined to current
standards (tho there is substantial engineering, planning and
related expertise here, so this is not to disparage the
professions!).

Certain powerful interest groups are completely unabashed in their
position on landfill, and in my personal view contribute to a
lopsided debate on the issue (esp as regards the EU policies).

The recycling rate in the residential sector is hovering around 6%
nationwide and is nowhere near the government's "aspirational" target
of 25% by the year 2000. The commercial recycling rate
is not tracked, though there have been some estimates made.

An aside, only residential waste is counted as municipal waste in
waste statistics here, which differs from some other countries incl
the US (where MSW includes commercial waste).

Caroline Truth Brimblecombe
United Kingdom

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Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 10:50:37 -0600
From: "Cloutier, Chris" <chris.cloutier@moea.state.mn.us>
Subject: Subsidy Issue

Several months ago someone posted a request for info, sites, sources on
subsidies to the virgin material industry. If I remember correctly the
original poster was trying to put together a comprehensive bibiliography of
this info.

As all my historical e-mail was lost in the WindowsNT crash of a few weeks
ago I am unable to locate any of the old e-mails on this.

If the person who was putting this bibliography together has it done or
close to done I would appreciate a copy of it.

Thanks,
Chris

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End of GreenYes Digest V98 #71
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