Lords investigate barriers to waste technolgies
Annie Kane | 6 January 2014

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will tomorrow (7 January) hold a hearing into what encourages and discourages investment in waste technologies.

The hearing forms the latestpart of the committee’s inquiry into the economic benefit of waste, and follows on from hearings on: how waste can be turned into new products; how the EU prevents food waste; and central government’s role in waste and how its policies and incentives are geared up to make the most of the bioeconomy.

At tomorrow’s meeting, the House of Lords will question Peter Jones OBE, Chairman of renewable energy firm Waste2Tricity, Carbon Connect and Ecolateral Ltd, as well as Dr Rob Wylie, Cofounder and Chairman of WHEB, investors in energy and resource-efficiency technology. They will be asked a range of questions, including:

  • How is the technology landscape geared up for extracting maximum value from waste?
  • What does the investment scenario in this area look like, and are innovative technologies obtaining adequate finance?
  • What are the barriers to investing in new technologies?
  • What can be done to effectively mitigate risks of investing in new technologies to extract maximum value from waste?

The scope of this inquiry is largely limited to cover organic waste and waste gases produced by agriculture, industry and households.

The evidence session will start tomorrow at 3.40pm in Committee Room 3.

A final report into the committee’s findings is expected to be published in ‘early 2014’.

Read more about the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee’s inquiry into the economic benefit of waste.

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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?

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There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.