LARAC has welcomed the Environment Agency approach to enforcing the Waste Regulations requirements for separate collections on local authorities and private waste companies. LARAC believes the approach is not only sensible but also the most realistic given the nature of local authority operations and contracts. LARAC also views the positive comments from the EA on the Routemap that the local authority family recently produced as a vindication of the decision to step in and provide assistance where Government guidance was lacking.
Andrew Bird, Chair LARAC, said "The manner in which the EA has outlined it will undertake enforcement is sensible and right for the regulations and what they are intended to receive. Taking a risk based approach is part of modern day regulatory work and right for these situations. We have been really pleased with the dialogue we have had with the EA and LARAC will continue to work with them to ensure that local authorities rise to the challenge of meeting these requirements"
LARAC believes that the delay in the final requirements of the regulations due to the Judicial Review has not helped the overall situation and has restricted the time local authorities have had to prepare. LARAC has urged all within the industry to get behind local authorities and private waste companies as they assess and in some cases, change their collection systems to ensure compliance with the regulations. LARAC feels any further talk of legal action against local authorities is unhelpful and not needed and the EA should be left to undertake any action that may be required.
