Joint waste planning and management

Waste planning and management has been typically led at the regional and county scales. Waste management duties are in some cases discharged by a statutory joint waste disposal authority (JWDA) constituted of several waste planning authorities.

Currently, the Regional Waste Plan forms part of the Regional Spatial Strategy and directs the technologies and location of facilities. However, the sub-regional scale can be a useful scale at which to direct, manage and implement strategies.

There may be advantages in preparing a joint waste development plan document (DPD) or municipal waste management strategy in terms of providing efficiency savings and stronger contracting power and enabling optimum waste collection size. Greater Manchester, Merseyside, West of England, East London, North London, South London, West London and South Tees and three metropolitan boroughs in South Yorkshire (Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham) have all adopted this joint approach.

DEFRA has published Joint Waste Authorities (Proposals) Regulations and guidance on proposals for joint waste authorities in England.

For example, the planning teams of the East London Waste Authority boroughs (Newham, Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge) have been working together since 2006 to prepare a Joint Waste DPD. The Joint Waste DPD sets out a planning strategy for sustainable waste management and enables the adequate provision of waste management facilities (including disposal) in appropriate locations for municipal, commercial and industrial, construction and demolition and hazardous wastes in the four boroughs

Project Integra in Hampshire also illustrates an innovative approach to joint working. In 1993 Hampshire County Council and the 13 district councils undertook a county wide public consultation process to take account of the views of Hampshire residents on how to deal with the local waste challenge. This process resulted in the introduction of an integrated waste management strategy by the 11 district councils of Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton unitary authorities, Hampshire County Council and the private waste contractor.

Priority: plan for sustainable waste management
Tags: waste, regions and subregions