The UK government plans to introduce new rules which would require more recycling operations to secure environmental permits. With the changes, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it is aiming to "target waste criminals and combat dangerous practices at waste sites". According Environment Agency (EA) estimates, as much as 34 million tonnes of waste are managed illegally every year in England, resulting in costs of around £1bn.
However, the reforms could seriously harm hundreds of small and medium-sized recycling businesses that have been operating successfully in England for generations, and in some cases could put them out of business altogether, says Paul Sanderson, CEO of The Recycling Association....
