To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on the minimum levels of energy produced from waste that should be created by new build incinerators; and if he will make a statement. (192728)

New incinerators have to meet the requirements of the waste incineration directive (200/76/EC), article 6(6) which requires that

“any heat generated by the incineration or the co-incineration process shall be recovered as far as practicable”.

Guidance published by DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government was first issued in early 2003 and deals with this, and all other requirements of the waste incineration directive. It does not, however, stipulate the minimum levels of energy produced from waste that should be created by new build incinerators. The guidance is available on the DEFRA website.