Household rubbish accounts for 25 per cent of London’s waste and so this draft strategy presents the Mayor’s plans for managing the other 75 per cent of London’s rubbish, from businesses.

‘Making waste work in London: The Mayor’s Draft Business Waste Management Strategy‘ has been published for consultation with the London Assembly and functional bodies of the Greater London Authority. The draft strategy shows that by managing waste sustainably, London’s businesses and waste sector can play a key role in reducing London’s carbon footprint.

The draft strategy (pdf) seeks to enable businesses to recycle more by developing services that they want to use and demonstrates that sustainable waste management and using resources more productively can be economically beneficial. Case studies have been included to illustrate ways in which some businesses have already implemented and profited from sustainable resource management and to demonstrate the business case for improved environmental performance.

The strategy includes targets for London’s businesses to reuse, recycle and compost at least 70 per cent of rubbish by 2020 and achieve recycling and reuse levels in construction, demolition and excavation waste of at least 95 per cent by 2020. Waste is often transported further, than is necessary and often several contractors operate in a single high street. Part of the strategy includes developing plans to help businesses tackle the problem of transporting waste.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: ‘75 per cent of London’s rubbish comes from our businesses and my vision is that by 2020 the waste produced by London’s businesses no longer compromises London’s future as a sustainable city. However, I am very much limited in what I can do to manage waste in London. If we had a Single Waste Disposal Authority for the capital I would be able to ensure that more business waste is recycled or used as a source of renewable energy.’

London Development Agency Chief Executive Manny Lewis said: ‘Businesses can save money and help the environment by cutting their waste and recycling more. The London Environmental Support Service helps businesses by directing them to things like the Mayor’s Green Procurement Code or Construction Resource Efficiency.’

Whilst business waste is ultimately outside of the Mayor’s direct control, the Mayor intends to work in partnership with businesses and key stakeholders to raise awareness and enhance recycling services for businesses. The strategy also intends to increase the amount of waste plants and sites to manage business waste.

The Mayor will be supporting Lord Whitty’s amendment to the Greater London Authority Bill currently going through Parliament. This amendment seeks to give the Mayor the power to introduce a Single Waste Disposal Authority for London. Such a body, although not having direct responsibility for business waste would better enable the capital to take a strategic approach to business waste and the opportunities it presents. This is why the proposed amendments have received such strong support from many of the major businesses and business organisations in London.