Resources minister Thérèse Coffey has refused to describe the Chinese waste import restriction as a “crisis”, before admitting that “the ship has sailed” with regards to discussions with the Chinese government.
Dr Coffey was speaking yesterday (January 31) in an evidence session for the Environmental Audit Committee’s inquiry into China’s restriction on waste imports.
Coffey admitted the government has not directly spoke with their Chinese counterparts on the waste ban
The Committee’s chair, Labour’s Mary Creagh, quizzed Dr Coffey on whether the government has held discussions with the Chinese authorities on the measures, and also why Environment secretary Michael Gove was seemingly unaware of any ban when the committee questioned him in November.
Mrs Creagh claimed that when asked, Mr Gove seemed “blissfully unaware” of the ban before he was passed a note by his officials and proceeding to say he hasn’t given it “sufficient thought”. Mrs Creagh stated he should have been briefed about a “looming crisis in the industry”.
Responding to the comments, Dr Coffey stated: “I challenge the view it’s a crisis. I don’t recall personally briefing him and we work together. We had a discussion about what to do. We worked across government including engaging our embassy in Beijing to do an informal element.
“But in reality, the EU is our spokesperson at the WTO and it was about working with them to go through the formal process as it was worth challenging there.”
UK china visit
Secretary of State for international trade, Liam Fox and the Prime Minister Theresa May both landed in China this week for a three-day visit to boost trade and investment. Mrs Creagh asked Dr Coffey if she had raised the issue with either of them, and if the issue has been raised with the Chinese government.
“To some extent, the ship has sailed,” responded the minister. “China is perfectly entitled to introduce this ban and I haven’t raised it directly with the Chinese government. The value of the plastics is estimated at £85 million, with only some of this going to China, which is falling. Other markets have grown. Places like Turkey and others are taking more. What the markets are showing is that others are taking this waste.”
Zac Goldsmith
Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith also on the Committee, asked about the potential oversupply of recycled material once the China ban takes effect, and what Defra has done to alleviate fears that this material could go to landfill.
Dr Coffey pointed to the upcoming resource and waste strategy. She said that industry “will be aware of the different speeches and considerations and that we want to set regulatory limits of what could go into materials and the 0% avoidable waste initiative.”
She added: “I hope there is enough out there for them to realise there will be quite a significant shift. There will be a mixed opinion on just how clear this is. The challenge is that we need to get this right. Rather than too much drip-feed I don’t want to give too many mis-leading signals. Industry will want us to publish this as quickly as possible and that is what we aim to do”.
Coffey Strategy
Dr Coffey, along with Defra’s deputy director for waste and recycling Chris Preston and Marie Fallon of the Environment Agency, revealed that they would “love” to see the strategy out by June but realistically it will be later.
Coffey said: “There are different things about how we approach some of the work. If we want the final answer, we’re talking later in the year. If there are still some parts where we can leave certain parts that affect the wider government, then we can do it sooner. There will be some consultation alongside this.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
