To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the (a) amount and (b) likely future change in the amount of exported domestic waste, broken down by category. (147205)

The UK only exports waste that is suitable for recovery or recycling. Based on HM Revenue and Customs figures, it is estimated that in 2006, the UK exported some 8 million tonnes of metal scrap, 4 million tonnes of paper, 441,000 tonnes of plastic and 136,000 tonnes of glass cullet.

The Government have not made any estimate of the likely future growth in the amount of exported waste, but the Government sponsored Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has undertaken research to assess the international markets for key recyclable wastes: plastic, paper and glass, and these papers are available on WRAP’s website.

http://www.wrap.org.uk/wrap_corporate/publications/index.html

Future trends on exports will depend largely on the success of the range of initiatives under way to increase provision of domestic recycling capacity as part of the implementation of Waste Strategy 2007.