All RDAs across England are closing by March 2012
(see transition and closure section).
With our resources reducing steadily, this page has not been recently updated and the information below may not be current.
If in doubt, please contact us directly.
Waste management
The government's Waste Strategy for England published in 2007
encourages RDAs and other regional bodies to facilitate the
improved management of business waste and resource management in
partnership with local authorities and other
organisations.
We are also committed to delivering the South West
Regional Waste Strategy published by the South West Regional
Assembly in 2004. This aims to ensure that by 2020 over 45% of the
waste generated in the region is reused or recycled and that less
than 20% of the waste produced is disposed of to
landfill.
Effective waste management is central to ensuring that South
West England's economy is both efficient and competitive whilst
also protecting the environment.
Every year South West England produces around 2.5 million tonnes
of domestic waste, 5.5 million tonnes of commercial and industrial
waste, and 12.5 million tonnes of construction and demolition
waste.
Landfill remains the major method of waste disposal in the
region. Just under 1.6 million tonnes (56%) of municipal waste was
sent to landfill in the region in 2008/2009 but this is reducing,
having fallen from 82% in 2000/1.
We are working closely with Government Office for the South West
and the Environment Agency to
take forward the development of strategic waste management for our
region. In particular, we are focussing on ensuring that commercial
and industrial waste is managed more sustainably in the future,
while minimising the cost to businesses and the economy.