Minister must step in to improve Welsh waste management - Burnham

3.25.00pm GMT Wed 7th Feb 2007

Eleanor Burnham AM today quizzed Environment Minister Carwyn Jones about a looming crisis facing North Wales local authorities; the lack of landfill space, which is predicted to run out entirely within the next 5 years.

Ms Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for North Wales, addressed the Minister regarding the role of alternative methods of municipal waste management following the release earlier this week of a landmark report identifying human activity as the central factor in climate change.

Ms Burnham asked the Minister about the use of incineration as a method of both disposing of household and industrial waste and generating energy for Wales, after recycling as much material as possible.

Ms Burnham said: "It is my understanding after speaking to local authorities in North Wales, that there are no specific plans for the safe and efficient disposal of waste other than the current landfilling.

"I'm afraid that there is just no way of continuing along this path, as we are all aware than within 5 years there will no longer be any landfill space within Wales, let alone in the North.

"It is not enough just to hope that another ex-quarry will be found here or there to take the strain of an ever growing amount of waste. Despite targets for recycling 25% of our waste in 2007, levels of household rubbish continue to rise by up to 5% every year.

"I am extremely pleased that the Minister has agreed with me that alternative methods of processing leftover waste and generating energy, such as incineration, have their part to play as we try to combat climate change in Wales. At this stage we cannot afford to pass up any alternative options.

"The Minister must engage with local authorities and offer them real guidance as to how we move forward when it comes to waste disposal in Wales, not just impose a central government target and hope the problem will sort itself out.

"The report released this week by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has made it all too clear that every government has to accept its responsibility to ensure that following generations in Wales have a future."

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