Change in legal definition of "waste"

The UK's statutory definition of "waste" is to be amended next May to bring it into line with EC requirements, the Department of the Environment (DoE) revealed in December. The change appears unlikely to make much difference except at the margin, in particular over whether some industrial residues spread on agricultural land should be treated as waste. But the EC rules may have substantial implications for agricultural wastes, although the DoE's intentions for these as well as mine and quarry wastes will not be known till next year.