To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on moving from weekly to fortnightly collection of domestic rubbish. (94772)

I have been asked to reply.

Defra has not issued guidance to local authorities on alternate weekly collection of household waste.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not stipulate how local authorities should discharge their household waste collection duties, nor the frequency with which collections have to be made. Each authority is free to choose its own method of collection and the priority, degree of effort and resources required.

The waste and resources action programme (WRAP) has produced guidance which is used by local authorities when considering the introduction of alternate week collection of waste. This is available from WRAP’s website: http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/toolkits_good_practice/index.html.

An interim report on the health impact assessment of alternate week waste collection is also available on the local authority support pages of Defra’s website: http://lasupport.defra.gov.uk/ViewDocument_Image.aspx?Doc_ID=362.