When I first started in waste, I had little sector knowledge – my background was politics. However, it quickly became apparent that waste is a highly politicised issue. Every day the papers carry stories on variable charging, fortnightly collections and chips in bins. Yet the politics of waste run deeper.

You might argue that ‘Government’ policy is the main driver for change in the waste industry. Why is this? Unless the sector experiences a cultural revolution and unless there is a shift in the value of secondary resources, gate fees will remain the dominant form of revenue – services to treat waste will always be in demand and, therefore, are relatively stable income sources.

Most of the infrastructural changes to the industry tend to be the result of policy and regulatory drivers. The Control of Pollution Act 1974 changed the nature of waste disposal overnight by introducing strict guidelines, whilst the 1990s saw widespread closure of incinerators largely as a result of the Environmental Protection Act and EU directives covering air pollution from waste incineration. More recently, increases in Landfill Tax and the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme are resulting in diversion away from landfill to recycling, composting and energy recovery.

That is not to say that other industries are not affected by Government policy. EU and UK plans to increase renewable energy generation are resulting in changes across the energy sector. However, this is as much the result of the Government attempting to resolve issues of security of supply and high energy prices as it is the result of concern over the environment.

The same can’t be said for waste. Although material security is moving up the agenda, it is not a dominant influence on UK waste policy. Current influences on waste policy come largely from outside the industry – EU requirements and the threat of climate change – along with the relationship between Government and the waste industry.

It is therefore with some amazement that I find myself in conversation with people from the industry who are indifferent to what Government and politicians have got to do with the sector. While there is often frustration regarding Government decisions that seem to pander to public opinion, I think it is fair to say that there can often be a reluctance to engage in politics. This is compounded by a lack of understanding regarding the political system. The reality is that politics is a complex and confusing environment, with politicians having to navigate a jungle of multiple interests. They try to identify the “right decision”, but often they have little specialist knowledge. People working on the ground in the industry, on the other hand, have lots of specialist knowledge and often convincing arguments. The loudest voice of all, though, is that belonging to the general public – and yet this is the interest group with the least knowledge.

The policy that emerges will never please everyone, and there will certainly be undesirable outcomes – unfortunately, this is a democratic reality! Politicians do their best to make the right decision but they can’t work in a vacuum. For any interest group the priority should be to make information available so that politicians can make informed choices. MPs can only make decisions based on information provided; this might come from the civil service or from the sector itself. Without engaging in the process there will be even less good policy emerging.

Waste, more than many sectors, can be a complex and technical subject. We must engage with policymakers and inform discussion. Outcomes will never be perfect, but we stand a greater chance of getting better policy outcomes if we try.