CRR Legal Action Wastes Time And Energy, Says Biffa

6 July 2011

Leading household and commercial waste recycler Biffa has described the application by the Campaign for Real Recycling (CCR) for a judicial review of the revised Waste Framework Directive (WFD) as "a divisive and very introspective act that wastes time and energy"

The CRR, which last week revealed it had formally begun a legal challenge over Defra's stance on commingling recyclables, claims that including commingled recycling collections in the WFD does not properly transpose Article 11 of the Directive, which states: "Member States shall take measures to promote high quality recycling, and to this end, shall set up separate collections of waste where technically, environmentally and economically practicable and appropriate to meet the necessary quality standards for the relevant recycling sectors."

CRR says this requires a separate collection of paper, plastic, glass and metal by 2015.

"Whatever the regulations say technically or legally, it is obvious that the Directive's bottom line intent is to separate 'dry recyclables' from residual waste," stated Biffa's municipal development director Pete Dickson. "That objective is being achieved today by both commingled and kerbside-sorted collections. Both should continue to co-exist in our diverse modern society as local authorities must have the right and flexibility to choose the most appropriate collection system for their needs."

Dickson feels the CRR's application is not focused on the needs of those that produce waste, such as households and businesses, and is an unnecessary distraction from the great work that is being done by all players in the industry.

"As an industry, we can be proud of our work and should be promoting it," added Dickson, "but it's hard to do that when blinkered points-of-view get in the way."

Biffa Backs Commingling

According to Dickson, Article 11 embodies everything that Biffa stands for. "In its pursuit of high quality recycling, Biffa has invested many millions in ultra-modern materials recycling facilities (MRFs) and has just opened the country's largest anaerobic digestion plant in Staffordshire. It also has well over £100m-worth of local authority contracts for collecting municipal recyclables and refuse," he explained.

"Wherever it's appropriate, Biffa backs collecting commingled recyclables separately from refuse because it makes such commercial, practical and environmental sense," added Dickson. "We believe that we service the top three English councils for diverting waste, all co-incidentally running commingled collections, as well as the best-performing council using kerbside-sort collections. So we know what works and why."

Addressing CRR's claims that commingling reduces the final quality of recyclables processed at MRFs, Biffa's recycling director Michael Topham said: "Our MRF-sorted commingled recyclates sell for the same price as kerbside-sorted material. This says to me that both collection systems can achieve the same quality standards."

He added: "Biffa is uniquely a collector, sorter and reprocessor of municipal recyclables, and as such, we are only too aware of the vital importance of meeting quality specifications. Along with our colleagues in the industry, we're working together to launch the MRF Code of Practice, which will be a great step forward in this regard."

Dickson concluded: "We fully recognise and accept the role that kerbside-sorted recycling collections play in British recycling. Sadly, the CRR appears unable or unwilling to accept the valuable role that commingled collections also play in terms of ease-of-use and proven ability to lift recycling tonnages.

"The scores of tonnes of recyclates emerging daily from Biffa's MRFs to find eager buyers here and abroad is all the evidence you need to show that commingling and MRF processing do the job."

For more information visit www.biffa.co.uk

Darrel Moore