EU COMMUNICATION ON INTEGRATED PRODUCT POLICY (IPP)
The European Commission has adopted a Communication on Integrated Product Policy (IPP), outlining its strategy for reducing the environmental impact caused by products. The Commission will take a number of actions to stimulate continuous improvement in the environmental performance of products throughout their whole life-cycle. The Commission will also initiate work towards identifying those products with the greatest potential for environmental improvement, working with industry, business and consumers to green those products.
See http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ipp/ippcommunication.htm

HAZARDOUS WASTE INTERPRETATION AND CLASSIFICATION GUIDANCE
A joint guidance document from the regulating bodies of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland has been unveiled to provide practical guidance on the assessment and classification of hazardous waste based on the Hazardous Waste Directive definition of hazardous waste. The document is available on all 3 of the regulating body's web sites and is entitled Hazardous Waste: Interpretation of the Definition and classification of hazardous waste, Technical Guidance Note WM2
See www.sepa.org.uk/guidance/waste/hazardous/index.htm A limited number of hard copies are also available from 01454 624411

SEPARATE WASTE COLLECTIONS SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICE REPORT
The Scottish Executive has issued a report on with the main aim of the study's research to provide information, new ideas, approaches and good practice guidance for the development of separate household waste collections by Scotland's 32 local authorities. The report looked at 44 case studies in the UK, Europe and North America and covers urban (including high rise), suburban and rural areas and studied a variety of collection methods and materials collected.
See www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/sepwaste.asp

WRAP ACHIEVEMENTS REPORT
WRAP have produced a report detailing their achievements of the last year. Launched at the CIWM Conference and Exhibition, highlights include the leverage of private funding, 13 research projects identifying new uses for recycled products and the opening of a business development service to broker relationships between the financial sector and recycling industry. Future work for WRAP includes topics highlighted in the strategy unit report such as waste minimisation, waste awareness and organics market development.
See www.wrap.org.uk/publications/Wrap_achievements_2002to2003.pdf

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PACKAGING RECOMMEND CHANGE
The Advisory Committee on Packaging, a committee comprising different sectors of the packaging chain set up to advise the government on packaging issues. The report recommends numerous proposals covering targets, infrastructure, enforcement and data to ensure the operation of the current packaging regulations.
See www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/packaging/index.htm#ACP

ELLIOT MORLEY APPOINTED AS ENVIRONMENT MINISTER
Elliot Morley has replaced Michael Meacher as the Environment Minister and will hold the responsibility for waste issues in his portfolio

SANITARY LANDFILLS FOR LATIN AMERICA ~ CALL FOR PAPERS
ISWA will be holding a beacon conference on sanitary landfills for Latin America in Argentina from the 8th-10th of March 2004. The conference is being co-sponsored by the World Bank, US Environmental Protection Agency, Solid Waste Association of North America and the CIWM along with ISWA and the Argentine member of ISWA. Papers on a variety of landfill related topics are welcome and to submit a 500 word abstract or receive full details on the event please contact ars@isalud.org.ar 

NEW SECTION ON NETREGS ~ SEWAGE, WASTE AND CLEANSING
Netregs, the online information service, aimed at SME's outlines their environmental responsibilities and details legislation affecting their activities have been updated to now include a section covering Sewage and Waste. Netregs is compiled by the 3 regulating bodies for the UK
See www.environment-agency.gov.uk/netregs/

OPRA SCORES SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN MANAGEMENT OF WASTE SITES
The Operator Performance Risk Appraisal (OPRA) system measures the potential environmental hazards of a site and how well these are being managed. Recent scores released by the Environment Agency has shown an improvement in the way waste management sites are managed, with landfill sites scores increasing by an average of 31%. See www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/495987

CIWM WASTE AWARENESS CERTIFICATE LAUNCHED
During the conference and exhibition a new initiative from the CIWM was unveiled. The Waste Awareness Certificate is a one day training course for those outside the waste management industry. The one day course covers waste definitions, waste minimisation, waste management, safety and environmental aspects, and legislation, and culminates with a questionnaire assessment, which, if successfully completed leads to the award of the Certificate in Waste Awareness For further details contact mary.philpott@ciwm.co.uk