Landfill and Hazardous Waste Implementation Programme
Overview
During 2004 and 2005 the UK implemented the Landfill Directive, the revised EU Hazardous Waste List and other changes to hazardous waste management. This precipitated a significant change involving (a) considerably fewer landfills being authorised to accept hazardous waste, and (b) changes to classification schemes that will increase the quantities of hazardous waste arising.
Defra and the Environment Agency jointly set up the Landfill & Hazardous Waste Implementation Programme (LHIP) to drive the changes required to successfully implement new legislation. The LHIP Programme board and communications group closed in January 2006.
Who was involved in the Programme?
The LHIP was managed as a Programme within Defra, and involved all the Governmental bodies related to the change. This included: the Environment Agency, the DTI, ODPM, the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Executive, DOENI and Envirowise.
Scope of the Programme
The terms of reference of the Programme set the following scope:
1. Landfill Regulations
- Drafting, consulting on, and implementing through Parliament an amendment to the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations, covering Waste Acceptance Criteria and the co-disposal ban
- Delivering Defra's interpretation of the Landfill Regulations
- Drafting, consulting on, and implementing through Parliament a separate amendment to the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations, covering monolithic waste, PAHs and the role of the producer.
2. Hazardous Waste Regulations
- Drafting, consulting on, and implementing through Parliament a new set of Hazardous Waste Regulations to replace the Special Waste Regulations 1996.
3. Compliance
- Drafting and publishing the Environment Agency's enforcement position following the new regulations
- Informing site operators, carriers and waste producers of the changes in the regulatory regime
- Ensuring a consistent and appropriate regulatory approach is adopted during 2004-05 and ongoing.
4. Communications
For details on Communications, please see further down the page.
5. Capacity
- Maintaining up-to-date information on the status of permitting activity by the Environment Agency
- Analysing the information available about predicted landfill capacity and predicted arisings
- Informing waste producers and site operators about progress to ensure they are able to make informed investment decisions.
6. Helpline & Best Practice
- Providing information about the changes to businesses via the Environment & Energy Helpline (0800 585794)
- Producing briefing packs for waste producing businesses.
- Producing case studies and technical guides to help businesses minimise their waste and cope with the changes.
LHIP Communications Group
A Communications Group for LHIP was established in April 2004. The Group involved Defra, Environment Agency, DTI, Small Business Services and Envirowise. We also had a close working relationship with ODPM, the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Executive and DOENI.
The group developed a high level strategy and detailed project plan with seasonal communications campaigns in place. General activities performed by the group were:
- Producing leaflets and reports to be distributed to waste producers to ensure they are aware of the changes
- Maintaining a set of frequently asked questions, and a coordinated set of answers across the organisations involved in the Programme
- Monitoring statistics for websites and call centres
- Issuing press and media releases
- Arranging seminars/workshops for industry to raise awareness about the legislative changes
- Developing communications focus and messages relating to SME's and key waste streams
Page last modified: 11
April 2007
Page published: 5 February 2003