The Environment Act 1995

As discussed at the beginning of this particular section, the government is steering the UK into a waste minimisation strategy, which is implemented under Part V of EA 1995. Under the provisions of this Act the government has also implemented the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive as the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Obligations 1997. Schedule 12 and s.92 of the EA 1995 give the overall objectives of the National Waste Strategy as:

• To make sure that all waste is disposed of or recovered using means by which human health is safeguarded and without using environmentally damaging processes or techniques. To also ensure that water, soil, air, plants or animals are not endangered; that no nuisance through odours or noise is created and that there exists no adverse impact upon the countryside of other areas of special interest.
  
  
• To establish an integrated and sufficient network of waste disposal installations, which utilise BATNEEC
  
  

Packaging

The legislation concerning packaging waste is covered by:

• Part II of Environmental Protection Act 1990, which covers a duty of care for packaging waste disposal.
  
  
• Environment Act 1995, which covers the recovery and recycling of packaging waste.
  
  

Both of these will be focused upon further below.