County waste minimization programmes: a case study from Northamptonshire, UK

The UK Sustainable Development Strategy requires that society strive to make prudent use of natural resources so as to protect the environment and maintain high and stable levels of economic growth and employment. The Waste Strategy for England and Wales emphasizes the need to reduce the amount of waste produced through the adoption of waste minimization methodology. Waste minimization clubs have been a key element in the UK programme to introduce more sustainable practice into industry and commerce. Northamptonshire, a county in the East Midlands of England, has benefited from 14 waste minimization|resource efficiency projects, within a county programme, that have run between 1998 and 2001. This is the largest number in any county in England. This has been possible because of the formation of a large and inclusive partnership that contains all the key local and regional players. Performance indicators have been developed to direct the county programme as it strives to introduce more sustainable waste management practice. The Northamptonshire model has led to a catalysed uptake of sustainable waste management practice and has resulted in greatly improved competitiveness in some 270 companies, thereby contributing to the maintenance of stable levels of economic activity. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment