Request for the waste strategy for 2021 onwards and the Annual Monitoring Report for 2019-20

The Joint Waste Strategy, agreed by NLWA and all seven constituent boroughs, expired at the end of December 2020. That strategy covered all aspects of waste management in north London from waste prevention, recycling and disposal. The strategy is available here: https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/ourauthority/our-strategies

The management of residual waste is not currently a matter for strategic development, as the Authority has agreed to progress a strategic project for the replacement of the current Energy from Waste plant at Edmonton, with a new Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) – the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP).  The implementation of that project has already commenced with further details available on the project website at www.northlondonheatandpower.london.

However, a focus on waste prevention and on increasing recycling remains a fundamental part of waste management in north London. The Authority has therefore agreed a shorter term, two-year, (with the potential for a one-year extension), Residual Waste Reduction Plan which sets out some shorter-term actions to reduce residual waste. This plan dovetails with individual boroughs’ Reduction and Recycling Plans required by the Mayor of London. A copy of the Residual Waste Reduction Plan is available on the Authority’s website at: https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/ourauthority/our-strategies

The Authority has agreed, as set out in a paper at the February 2020 Authority meeting, (https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2020-05/09-residual-waste-reduction-plan-2020-22_0.pdf ) that a successor joint waste strategy, agreed between the Authority and the constituent boroughs, should be taken forward once the policies of central government are developed, and the implications for waste management of ceasing to be part of the EU are better understood. In particular, the second stage consultations from government on proposals for reform of the producer responsibility legislation for packaging and the introduction of a deposit return scheme for drinks containers have recently been released and a third on introducing requirements for consistent collections of recycling across local authorities, is awaited. All three of these proposals have the potential to significantly alter the legislative framework and funding landscape in which the constituent boroughs and NLWA deliver their waste services going forwards. Work has therefore started on a new joint waste strategy, but it will not be progressed to conclusion until the legislative landscape is clearer. The current target is for the replacement joint waste strategy to be approved and adopted by the end of December 2022.

Due to the global coronavirus pandemic a number of NLWA’s activities were deferred in 2020, such as the AGM which took place in September 2020, rather than the more usual June meeting. The annual waste strategy monitoring report has also been postponed from the more usual December production until April. The last (2019/20) annual monitoring report for the 2004 – 2020 Joint Waste Strategy will therefore be presented at the Authority meeting on 22 April 2021.

I trust this response answers your questions, but if I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,