Hazardous Substances: Waste Disposal
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of hazardous waste was exported by the type of hazardous waste in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The regulation of hazardous waste is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
Waste exports are reported using a different classification system to domestic movements of hazardous wastes. The two datasets are therefore not directly comparable meaning the precise information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
In 2023, 6,017,823 Tonnes of Hazardous waste were produced in England. Of this, 256,518 Tonnes (4%) was exported for treatment and recovery overseas. There are robust systems and processes in place to ensure that these wastes go to the right place and are treated appropriately.
The top 5 categories of hazardous waste exported overseas from England are as follows:
Waste type | Tonnage exported |
Waste mineral oils unfit for their originally intended use | 97,846 Tonnes |
Waste lead-acid batteries, whole or crushed | 31,490 Tonnes |
Wastes from the production, formulation and use of inks, dyes, pigments, paints, lacquers, varnish | 20,894 Tonnes |
Wates containing Heavy metals | 14,769 Tonnes |
Wastes from production, formulation and use of resins, latex, plasticisers, glues/adhesives | 10,540 Tonnes |
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