ENGLISH COUNTY COUNCILS AND THEIR AGENDA FOR WASTE MINIMIZATION

Minimisation is the top priority of the waste management hierarchy, wh ich is one of the guiding principals for national solid waste manageme nt planning throughout the developed world. As such it should be encou raged as a means for reducing wastes which require treatment and dispo sal, whether they be household, commercial or industrial in source. Th is paper suggests that minimisation is not being given the necessary p olicy frameworks or legislation within which to develop in the UK, and questions whether minimisation is being afforded the respect and atte ntion, from all levels, that is due the most preferable waste option a ccording to the hierarchy. This theme is investigated by surveying the county councils of England as a representative sample of waste dispos al authorities in England, and former waste regulation authorities. Th ey are responsible for guiding local and district waste policy and are the regional waste planners in the UK. If they are not seriously taki ng on board the message of minimisation, then there is little chance t hat it will succeed without further legislative developments. Some 59% of English counties have a minimisation policy, whilst only 47% have participated in and supported a minimisation programme or trial within their region. The majority of these developments have occurred within the last three years, and 78% of counties who have participated in a programme have found it a successful venture. By 1999 79% of English c ounties will have been actively involved in a minimisation programme i n their region, which is a positive scenario. This trend must continue if waste minimisation is to become the key theme of future sustainabl e waste management in the UK as was intended by declarations at the Ri o '92 conference and in subsequent UK Government policy and strategy. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.