Friday 11 July 2014
Guernsey Press Enquiry:
Deputies Tony Spruce and Barry Paint have expressed concerns about the department's report on the waste disposal management plan.
They argue the department has simply put forward the report because of previous decisions of the States and have not investigated the proposals properly to confirm whether they are the best environment option for Guernsey, hence why the department is only able to cite two of the principals of good governance in the report.
What is the department's reaction to this?
Can we please have a response by 3pm?
Environment Department Response:
The Environment Department is required under the Environmental Pollution (Guernsey) Law, 2004 to recommend to the States a Waste Management Plan. The Plan sets out how waste arising on the Island will be managed and sets directions for the regulator when considering licensing waste management activities. Notwithstanding the provisions of the legislation, the States tasked the Public Services Department to investigate, make recommendations on and report back to the States with a Waste Strategy.
The Environment Department when considering the Waste Management Plan had the option of commencing the full process from scratch, or evaluating the merits of the Strategy proposed by the Public Services Department and subsequently approved by the States. The majority of the Board supported the general direction of the States approved Waste Disposal Strategy and considered that it was able to fulfil its legal obligations to draft a Waste Management Plan based on the States approved Strategy.
Deputies Spruce and Paint were unable to agree all elements of the Waste Strategy and hence were unable to support the Department's Waste Management Plan.
Had the majority of the Department been against the States approved Strategy, then it would have had no alternative under the requirements of the legislation than to present the Waste Management Plan that did not support the Strategy, however as the majority of the Board were able to support the Strategy, this situation did not arise.
Contact Information:
Steve Smith, Chief Officer
Environment Department
Tel: 717200
