Third Waste Strategy Meeting

ESA joined other stakeholders at Defra’s third Waste Stakeholder Group meeting on 25 February. At the meeting Defra highlighted progress and key issues relating to implementation of the Waste Strategy, including the announcement on Defra’s budget on 21 February, which had significant implications for key funding bodies such as WRAP, NISP and Envirowise.

Those present voiced a range of concerns on the subject of Defra’s latest budget, in particular arguing that Defra’s announcement lacked clarity on delivery bodies’ 2008/09 budget settlements, and that the momentum in tackling the issue of waste and resource efficiency may be lost due to funding cutbacks.

Other topics discussed at the meeting included an update on Defra’s Waste Infrastructure Development Programme, recommendations for improving the coordination of communications among Group members, and a focus on how the format of the stakeholder meetings could be improved to encourage more meaningful interaction.