History has indicated a fairly unstructured approach to waste management, and there has been a feeling that overall objectives were difficult to identify. In order to iron out inconsistencies it is important to establish central policy themes so that policy objectives can be achieved.

Central government has to ensure that sustainable waste management can be achieved therefore national planning policy must be in place, the regional planning bodies need to apply national policy as part of the process of drawing up regional planning guidance. Then waste planning authorities have to ensure that an adequate planning framework exists and they have to prepare waste development plans to take into account the national and regional planning policy guidance, they also have responsibility for determining planning applications for waste management sites.

London boroughs, the new unitary authorities and county and district councils carry out these functions.

In addition:

• The environment agency is responsible for environmental regulation of developments under the 1995 act.
• The waste management industry also has a part to play in developing the appropriate installations waste treatments in line with the local requirements and developments.

Planning guidance is given in the form of PPG (planning policy guidance) 23 Planning and pollution control, PPG 10 Planning and waste management is to set out good practices for delivering the land use planning aspects of overall waste policy.