BPF Press Release - WASTE AND ENERGY - The BPF’s response to the Governmental White Papers

BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION

PRESS RELEASE

BPF PR REF: 19/07

Date: 25th May 2007

BPF Press Release - WASTE AND ENERGY - The BPF’s response to the Governmental White Papers

The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has broadly welcomed both White Papers and are pleased to see this convergence of energy and environment policy which it had asked for.

The Plastics Industry view during the Consultation

The BPF and Plastics Europe, the body representing  plastics raw material producers have during the consultation period advised Ministers and Government Official that:

- Plastic products in use save fuel e.g. lightweight cars and packaging.
- Plastic products conserve energy e.g. EPS insulation; PVC-U double glazed doors and windows.
- Renewable energy relies on plastics e.g. solar panels, windmill rotors.
- Used plastics should not be land filled they are a valuable resource.
- They should be recycled where it makes economic and environmental sense.
- Un-recyclable used plastic should go with other waste to Energy from Waste (EFW) where its high calorific content can be recovered to provide much needed home grown energy.  It does not lower recycling rates.
- There is far too little Energy from Waste capacity in the UK and the Government must provide Leadership in getting more developed.

Response to the “Waste Strategy for England 2007”

The BPF welcomes the Government’s key proposal to: “incentivise efforts to reduce, re-use, recycle waste and recover energy from waste”.

Energy from Waste

We welcome the target for EFW to account for 25% of municipal waste by 2020 compared to 10% today.

Peter Davis, Director General of the BPF said “we are disappointed that this is less than the previous target of 34% by 2015”.

The White Paper recognises that “Recovering energy from waste which cannot sensibly be reused and or recycled is an essential component of a well-balanced energy policy.  Denmark for instance derives 3.6% of its electricity supply from municipal waste”.

On health effects connected to incinerators the White Paper sees “no credible evidence of adverse health outcome” and emphatically states that a “vigorous energy from waste policy is compatible with high recycling rates”.

Peter Davis, Director General of the BPF said “we welcome these proposals to develop much more UK EFW capacity and catch up with our European neighbours, but the Government must give clear leadership to the public and local authorities on the benefits of Energy from Waste”.

Recycling Plastics

Peter Davis said “we support Government measures and taxation to drive down waste going into landfill”.

“72% of London’s waste is land filled, 18% recycled and 9% goes to Energy from Waste.  Contrast this with Copenhagen where 4% of its waste is land filled, 61% recycled and 35% goes to Energy from Waste, providing 30% of district heating”.
“We support measures to increase plastics recycling, which is rising fast here in the UK but are wary of going beyond European targets as the Government is proposing, because there are limits to viable recycling”.

Response to “Meeting the Energy Challenge”

This Government White Paper recognises that one third of the UK’s generating capacity for coal and nuclear power is due to be shut in the next 20 years.  As a net energy importer the UK is vulnerable to power supply disruption from supplier countries.

The White Paper calls for:  greater energy savings; support for low carbon technologies; liberalisation of EU energy markets; more nuclear power; more energy from waste.

The White Paper states on EFW:

“Energy generated either directly from waste or through the use of a refuse derived fuel has benefits for security of supply”.

“We also propose to bring forward new legislation which will enable us to overcome the current barriers to eligible EFW power stations receiving ROCS (Renewable Obligation Certificates)”.

The Planning White Paper, “Planning for a sustainable Future” proposes that nationally significant infrastructure projects such as: nuclear power stations; natural gas storage and EFW plants producing more than 50 megawatts should have planning permission fast tracked by a new Independent Commission.  It took 15 years for the Belvedere, Kent EFW plant to get planning permission.

Peter Davis, Director General of the BPF said “Plastics have an important role to play in saving energy in buildings through EPS insulation and PVC-U double glazed doors and windows and Plastic pipe in under floor heating.  Plastic components are an essential part of renewable technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines.

“We welcome the proposals to provide more home grown energy through nuclear power and energy from waste and avoid expensive and uncertain imports.  The UK Plastics industry has been hard hit by huge increases in energy costs and the risk of this occurring again and power shortages has not gone away”.

Carbon Reduction Commitment

The White Paper proposes that all organisations not in a Climate Change Agreement or EUETS, with a halt hourly metered electricity consumption greater than 6000 MWH  per annum should make a “Carbon Reduction Commitment”, the world’s first mandatory carbon trading scheme.

Peter Davis said “this will affect some of our biggest member companies and means they have to acquire expertise in cap and trade auctions.  It’s a pity the Government are not offering an incentive of a discount on Climate Change Levy.

For further information on this press release, please contact Thom Lant, British Plastics Federation, 6 Bath Place, Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3JE, tel 020 7457 5001, fax 020 7457 5045, email: [email protected]

Notes for editors
1)     British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers.