It is only just over six weeks since the LARAC Conference took place and, what with national events and the forthcoming general election, it already seems like a lifetime ago. This has meant that only a few days after attending a launch event in London for the Environment Bill, its progress was terminated when Parliament dissolved.
So, in a way it feels like waste policy is 'on pause' while we wait to see how the election unfolds and who will form the next Government. Whilst there is obviously one policy area that will dominate the headlines it will be interesting to see how the environment fares and if any of the main parties bring it more to the fore than previously.
The Environment Bill did not give us anything we didn’t know and was just the high-level enabler to the allow the more detailed regulations on consistency, DRS and EPR to follow if and when the Government were ready. The next round of consultations on these had been anticipated in spring 2020 so that at the very least will be put back, if not delayed more considerably. But there is no pause for LARAC on that front, as there is plenty of other engagement work that LARAC can undertake on behalf of you, our members. National government purdah appears to be a lot tighter than that which local authorities enter ahead of election periods!
It is certainly not all 'pause' and currently the Scottish Government are pushing ahead with their own and more advanced DRS proposal. As I write this, I am watching the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament as they hold a hearing into DRS, with evidence due from over 34 different people. The producers and material organisations are having their say; local authorities get their go later. DRS as a tool to reduce litter has come up in the discussion but there also seems to be a lack of up to date evidence about what DRS-type products make up litter. This is something LARAC is looking at to see if we can help gain evidence and insight into current litter composition to help inform the debate, in Scotland now, and later in England.
So, despite initial appearances, there is still plenty going on and work to do. This week sees the joint CIWM LARAC North West Event and NERF in the North East will be holding its annual conference and celebrating its 30th birthday (no I wasn’t at the first one!). Its good to see there is still an appetite and space for regional events, I know I found them incredibly useful for gaining information and making contacts in the early days of my career.
Its not so much the lull before the storm as the storm before the next storm. It’s getting hard to remember when there was ever a lull or …. so we aren't hitting the pause button just yet.
