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Metals Recycling Industry

The hon. Lady intervened just before I reached the sentence in my speaking notes that clarifies what I mean by choice, but she makes a an important point. On the one hand, it is important that the small print of directives is clarified in as public a way as possible. On the other hand, in this particular instance, the principles are fairly clear. The changes in the framework directive start to give a clear idea of what recycling is and, more importantly, of when waste is not waste: the point at which waste becomes a renewable resource. I am not sure that a further process of co-decision making on the directive would add a great deal. However, it would take away, over a considerable period of time, the ability of the UK Government, and of the industry, to make the necessary changes to greatly advance the passage of metal from a recyclable form into a new resource. On balance, therefore, I would prefer the directive to be decided by comitology, because the difference in time scale is enormous. The gain arising from the implementation of a new waste framework directive is so considerable that it is worth going down that particular path. However, that is not to take away from the hon. Lady's point about the need to ensure that the directive is framed in a transparent and coherent way, and should be scrutinised and examined properly. Having said that, the UK Government could act even more swiftly on the vexed category of waste offcuts. It is as plain as a pikestaff that offcuts are not waste and do not need to be treated as such, as there is no danger to anyone from their not being treated as waste. They can literally just be gathered up and reused roughly in the way that one uses the pastry left from making mince pies to make more mince pies. I make mince pies and am familiar with the process. In anticipation of the passage of the revised directive, the EU Commission has produced a draft report on an end-of-waste scrap metal case study. I will not say what the communication clearly states because I think that the phrases ““clearly states”” and ““Commission communications”” are not always natural bedfellows. Hon. Members will have to take it from me that it suggests that if excess material from a primary production process can be used directly in a further primary production process it can be considered as falling outside the definition of waste and is in effect a by-product. The UK should take up forthwith what is effectively an open invitation safely to reclassify shavings and offcuts in advance of a decision on the new framework, and I hope that the UK Government will be able to do so. I have mentioned the efficiency of the metals recycling industry in coping with the challenge of the European end-of-life vehicles directive. Hon. Members will recall the time when local authorities scraped burnt-out vehicles from the tarmac of community car parks in which they were dumped. The introduction of the directive and the reception of end-of-life vehicles for comprehensive treatment by metal recycling plants have largely changed that situation. I have visited several large recycling yards and seen just how comprehensive that treatment is. The task is to receive the vehicle and separate it out safely into all its constituent part, and recycling companies have invested substantially in the technology to do so successfully. Consequently, the UK has been able to reach the current ELV target of 85 per cent. recovery, including 80 per cent. recycling and re-use.