To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an estimate of the impact of the (a) inclusion of energy from waste in the Emissions Trading Scheme, (b) extended producer responsibility policies, (c) recycling targets and (d) Landfill Tax rates on the amount of waste being turned into useable forms of energy over the next (i) five and (ii) 10 years.

This Government is committed to reducing the amount of residual waste and has set a statutory target to drive this.

In accordance with the Waste Hierarchy, our view is that Energy from Waste should not compete with greater waste prevention, re-use, or recycling; however, it does play an important role in diverting waste from landfill and is usually the best management option for most residual waste.

We are working closely alongside members of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme Authority on the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to include waste incineration and Energy from Waste. Final proposals will be set out in a technical consultation, which the Authority is aiming to publish shortly, and a subsequent response confirming these details shortly after.

Defra officials are currently assessing planned Energy from Waste capacity up to 2035 against expected future residual waste arisings so we can understand what future capacity may be required following implementation of key commitments in the Resources and Waste Strategy. This assessment of residual waste treatment capacity needs will be published in due course.