Environment
questionsEnvironment
questions
Every month Mike tackles the Mayor through oral and written questions on a huge range of environmental issues. Scroll down to view a selection from last year posted here as a guide to work being done. Please get in touch if you have an issue Mike can help with.
A comprehensive database of all questions is now available on the official GLA website - click here.
For a selection of questions from earlier years, before the data base was set up, click here.
Mike Tuffrey
What happens to plastic waste disposed of inside City Hall and when will plastic be incorporated into the building’s waste separation system for recycling?
Mayor
Plastics collected from City Hall are put into clear bags and stored in the compactor on site. Once this is returned to the Waste transfer station the plastics, along with all the other recyclables, are taken out from the load. The plastics are then baled up and passed onto a reprocessing plant.
Waste segregation takes place at office tea points and the catering areas. The Environmental Champions in conjunction with the Facilities Management team are reviewing current provision to ensure the highest possible recycling rates.
Mike Tuffrey
How many tonnes of carbon will be cut from London’s total carbon emissions as a result of implementing the Climate Change Action Plan in 2007?
Mayor
As much as possible.Key actions under the CCAP in 2007 include running a home energy efficiency scheme, launching a new Green Homes Service, the wider roll-out of a green concierge service, marketing and awareness raising campaigns, work on travel demand management, implementation of decentralised energy schemes, and continued delivery through planning policy.
It is difficult to estimate in advance what the carbon savings from these measures will be, and it will undoubtedly take time to establish some of the new programmes, but they will be reported through the Climate Change Action Plan progress reports along with the budget each year.
Mike Tuffrey
Given the crucial role aviation needs to play in the Climate Change Action Plan, what changes have you secured or do you expect to secure from central government as a result of your discussions with ministers?
Mayor
Aviation is not crucial to the delivery of my Climate Change Action Plan. The focus of the Plan is how to achieve the most cost-effective carbon emissions savings between now and 2025. As the document sets out, this means, above all, improving the efficiency of energy use in domestic and commercial buildings and moving towards a more decentralised energy supply.
Emissions from aviation are large in London, but our position is rather unique, because Heathrow is an international and international aviation hub but is located within the city boundaries.
Nationally and internationally, emissions from aviation are small, but long-term growth in flights and the present lack of technological solutions to reduce emissions from aeroplanes means that emissions from aviation could become a real problem by the middle of the century.
National and international measures are required to constrain increasing demand for flying in the short term, while providing incentives to discover ways of reducing carbon emissions from aeroplanes over the medium to long-term. I will continue to discuss this with Ministers and other stakeholders.
Mike Tuffrey
What was the population of sewer rats in London in each of the past five years and how successful has the London Sewer rat protocol been in containing growth?
Mayor
I am informed that no record of the population of sewer rats in London exists. Without such evidence it is clearly difficult to assess whether the problem with sewer rats is getting worse. The Association of London Environmental Health Managers will be launching a new London Sewer Rodent Management Protocol in May to replace the existing Protocol, which has had problems with implementation. The new Protocol is a joint good practice guide between Thames Water and London Borough pest control services for undertaking sewer baiting. They believe that the only way to control rodents in sewers is to provide a joint comprehensive and effective sewer-baiting programme. Its implementation rather than the actual reduction of rat populations will be closely monitored by each individual borough and Thames Water.
Mike Tuffrey
Please provide details of the `wider deployment of LED signals’ by TfL in 2007 as referred to in your answer to question number 0502/2006.
Mayor
There are a number of issues that remain to be resolved before wider deployment, namely:
Progress continues to be made and products are now becoming more stable. Designs which can be monitored are being produced and TfL will consider the wider deployment of LED signals upon resolution of the above issues.
Mike Tuffrey
Please list the London Underground stations that were in ‘Division 2’ of the Stations Energy Challenge, and the amount of energy that each station saved in 2005/06 against the base year.
Mayor
The Stations Energy Challenge is now in its seventh year. It encourages all stations to utilise a variety of energy saving measures to reduce their energy consumption compared to a year 2000 baseline. The competition has delivered a saving of 14% in real terms since 2000 across all London Underground’s (LU) stations. The Challenge is divided into 4 leagues, Premiership, Championship, Division 1, & Division 2. The stations in Division 2 in 2005/06 were as follows:
Acton Town, Aldgate, Aldgate East, Amersham, Arnos Grove, Barbican, Becontree, Bow Road, Buckhurst Hill, Caledonian Road, Chalk Farm, Chesham, Chigwell, Chiswick Park, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway, Ealing Common, East Ham, Edgware, Farringdon, Finsbury Park, Hammersmith (Dist), Hammersmith (Met), Hampstead, Heathrow T123, High Street Kensington, Holborn, Holloway Road, Hornchurch, Hounslow East, Leicester Square, Leyton, Leytonstone, Maida Vale, Mansion House, Marylebone, Moor Park, Morden, North Ealing, North Harrow, Northwood, Oakwood, Osterley, Oval, Plaistow, South Ealing, South Harrow, South Woodford, St Pauls, Stamford Brook, Stepney Green, Stockwell, Theydon Bois, Tower Hill, Tufnell Park, Turnham Green, Upminster Bridge, Wapping, West Hampstead, Woodford.
By virtue of their position, these stations are the ones where savings are harder to achieve. However, the top 10 stations in Division 2 in 2005/06 saved 31% compared to 2000 and were promoted into Division 1. LU is constantly reviewing performance under the Challenge, targeting areas for improvement and regularly visiting stations to help educate staff in any further measures they could be adopting.
Mike Tuffrey
By how many gigawatt hours do you expect total energy consumption to increase over the next three years on the London Underground, and what targets are in place for increasing energy efficiency of the London Underground network per passenger?
Mayor
London Underground is committed to an extensive investment programme over the next few years to deliver a world-class tube for a world class city. This will inevitably require increases in power demand to deliver the required service enhancements. LU is also focused on ensuring it contributes effectively to my overall targets on CO2 reductions.
LU is developing a ‘Carbon Emissions Reduction Plan’ which will set out how LU will look to minimise the energy and CO2 impact of these increases and as part of the Plan, will be reviewing its targets for energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. At this stage, it is not possible to provide a precise figure on actual energy increase over the next three years as scopes are still being finalised. London Underground will be able to provide figures on actual energy increase over the next three years by the end of Q3 2007-08, which will be based on assessing the impact of LU's projected energy conservation measures.
Mike Tuffrey
How many London Underground stations are covered by the paper recycling service run by Tubelines and over what time frame do you expect all 254 stations to be covered by paper recycling schemes?
Mayor
Around 90 of the 100 London Underground stations managed by Tube Lines have paper recycling facilities in the station offices. Approximately 75 of the 155 stations managed by Metronet have a similar paper recycling scheme in place. LU is working with the Infracos to ensure that, where practical, all stations participate in this paper recycling scheme as soon as possible.
Mike Tuffrey
The GLA Group Sustainable Procurement Policy states the need to implement appropriate means of measuring progress. What is the baseline position, what indicators will be used, how regularly will you report back on progress, and how will information be disseminated?
Mayor
The Sustainable Procurement Policy is a wide-ranging policy, albeit building on a number of existing strands such as my Green Procurement Code, requiring substantial changes in procurement codes, business systems, contracts and organisational behaviour, and the development of new market capacity. It is acknowledged that implementation will therefore be on an incremental basis over time, including the development of robust baseline data, and I remain committed to development of appropriate means of measuring progress. However, there has been good early progress, including for example the recent award of the East London Line contracts by Transport for London. The contracts included terms to help ensure fair opportunities for smaller suppliers, particularly those led by minority ethnic groups and by women and disabled people, in securing subcontracted business. These groups have historically found it difficult to access contract opportunities. In addition, substantial work is being carried out by the London Development Agency to support suppliers in increasing their capabilities, through its Supply London programme.
Regarding the environmental themes within sustainable procurement, it has been agreed that annual statistics will be provided by each functional body on its proportion of spend within defined categories which is re-used, refurbished, or recycled, and this information will be published through the established GLA budget and environment process. It has also been agreed that functional bodies will provide annual information on their use of sustainable timber, with initial data being provided in Autumn 2007.
Regarding the supplier diversity theme, work is being undertaken across the group to collect baseline information on the size, ownership, location and employees of organisations bidding for and being awarded contracts. This initial data is being reviewed and monitored by a cross GLA Steering group chaired by my Director for Equalities and Policing, Lee Jasper, but is not yet sufficiently robust to publish. It is intended to refine data on supplier diversity for the GLA Group over time and publish this together with other baseline information through annual progress reports on the implementation of the Policy. The first such report is expected to be published around the end of 2007.
Mike Tuffrey
How will the GLA Group Sustainable Procurement Policy be integrated with GLA Budget and Corporate Plan Performance Monitoring?
Mayor
Key results for the implementation of the GLA Group Sustainable Procurement Policy will be reported through individual functional body reports (such as the TfL and MPS Environmental reports) and key performance statistics provided via their annual reports. In addition we intend to prepare a consolidated annual Sustainable Procurement Progress report around the end of 2007.
Mike Tuffrey
What are the financial and staffing resources needed to take forward the GLA Group Sustainable Procurement Policy?
Mayor
We are seeking to mainstream the Sustainable Procurement agenda, embedding it within the relevant procurement and policy functions across the Group. A substantial number of staff across the Group are therefore contributing to the implementation of the Policy as part of their overall work programmes. In addition the LDA is providing resources to develop suppliers from target groups to be ‘fit to supply’, to match ‘fit to supply’ target companies to GLA group contract opportunities in order that they can bid for work, principally through its Supply London programme. Functional bodies and the LDA are also resourcing ‘meet the buyer events’ for target companies to meet GLA group procurers.
There is a dedicated project manager role within GLA Finance and Performance that has been covered on an acting basis. Recently this post has been successfully advertised. Closer collaboration is currently being developed across the GLA Group regarding Sustainable Procurement implementation, so key common tasks are carried out on a joint basis. This will help maximise effectiveness and avoid duplication of effort.
The resourcing requirements for implementation of the Sustainable Procurement policy will be kept under review.
Mike Tuffrey
What is your assessment of the concept of virtuous cycles, as discussed in the London Sustainable Development Commission’s submission on the Further Alterations to the London Plan?
Mayor
The concept of virtuous cycles was a useful input from the London Sustainable Development Commission to the integrated sustainability appraisal, strategic environmental assessment and health impact assessment carried out on the emerging policies of the draft Further Alterations to the London Plan (FALP). The Commission has also suggested the concept to inform implementation. Virtuous cycle thinking and closely allied approaches like integrated resource management, as applied in the new Chinese Eco-Cities, could be assessed as tools to apply to development and regeneration schemes in London. I look forward to working with the LSDC on implementing the London Plan.
Mike Tuffrey
What discussions have the GLA or the ODA had with Thames Water about the need to improve the facilities at the 100 year old Abbey Mills sewerage pumping station to ensure that it is capable of functioning safely and effectively up to and beyond 2012?
Mayor
My officers and I have had extensive discussions with Thames Water, Environment Agency, DEFRA and Ofwat regarding London’s sewerage system in general and Abbey Mills in particular. I have also discussed the matter with Government Ministers on 3 occasions over the last 18 months. I am expecting an announcement from Government around the end of March with a view to considerable investment in sewerage infrastructure.
Mike Tuffrey
What are you doing to work with boroughs currently not providing bring sites for the disposal and recycling of electronic equipment, including computers, to do so?
Mayor
The Government expects waste authorities to register their reuse and recycling centres as designated collection facilities for waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). While I will support authorities who register their sites, I believe this approach is unacceptable as the Government has not reviewed the density of reuse and recycling centres in London nor surveyed their suitability to separately collect this waste. I believe that the Government should place put greater obligation on distributors and producers to provide collection services, as is required by the WEEE Directive, rather than force yet another burden onto waste authorities.
Mike Tuffrey
What is the current level of air quality at the Tolworth A3 roundabout, how does this compare to targets in your Air Quality Strategy, and what impact do you expect the proposed Tescos development to have on air quality in the area?
Mayor
The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the development at The Bridge, Tolworth, states that 'The adverse impact of the development associated traffic on NO2 and PM10 concentrations will be greatest at the junction of the A3 Kingston Bypass and Kingston Road.' The modelling shows, though, minor increases in PM10, but significant increases in NO2. Modelling predicts an increase in NO2 of 2.7ug.m-3 (microgrammes per cubic metre of air) at one receptor (7 Bell Court), as a worst case. This is made up of: 2.2ug.m-3 from traffic and 0.5ug.m-3 from the planned combined heat and power plant. Other receptors show smaller increases. The EA states that the development will introduce new receptors (ie people) into an area of existing poor air quality.
The EA suggests a number of mitigation proposals to reduce the increase in emissions. These include:
Adopting the London Best Practice Guidance to Control Dust and Emissions from Construction and Demolition Sites (launched by the GLA and London Councils on 21/11/06
Encouraging sustainable transport (foot, bicycle, bus and train) and reducing dependence on private cars
The design should include the provision of mechanical ventilation, rather than openable windows, to serve rooms with facades adjacent to the A3., in line with NSCA guidance. Ideally these rooms would be non-habitable - bathrooms and kitchens for example.
Barriers (dense vegetation or screening) could be used between the development and the A3.
The Environmental Assessment (EA) indicates that the development will worsen air quality at some locations due to increased traffic and from the proposed combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The EA suggests that mitigation is put in place to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions during the construction phase and when the development is occupied, reduce the dependence on private cars, encourage the use of more sustainable forms of transport and reduce the exposure of residents through building design.
Mike Tuffrey
How many London Boroughs offered schemes to recycle Christmas trees this year?
Mayor
All London boroughs, other than the City of London, offered to recycle Christmas trees – through kerbside collections, reuse and recycling centres or drop-off points.
All London boroughs, other than the City of London, offered to recycle Christmas trees through kerbside collections, reuse and recycling centres or drop-off points.
Mike Tuffrey
Why did you decide to seek only one quote for the provision of delivery and distribution services for the Londoner in London Underground ticket halls and bus depots?
Mayor
Only one quote was sought because Associated Newspapers is the only company who can provide the required services to the Greater London Authority. The Greater London Authority wishes to use Metro newspaper bins to distribute The Londoner in underground ticket halls, because this is the most cost-effective way of getting The Londoner into Tube passenger’s hands. Associated Newspapers Ltd own the Metro newspaper bins in the ticket halls and they are the only company contracted to London Underground to deliver newspapers into ticket halls in this way.
Mike Tuffrey
Why did you waive the contracts code in procuring Mouchel Parkman for cost modelling work for the revised municipal waste management strategy?
Mayor
In 2004 Mouchel Parkman and Cranfield University undertook a detailed ‘bottom-up’ cost modelling exercise for waste management in London, funded by the landfill tax credit scheme, with a minor contribution from the GLA. The cost modelling needs to be updated in order to inform the revision of the Mayor’s Municipal Waste Strategy. The model was developed by consultants Mouchel Parkman and we chose to use them and their model to produce the updated information as this would:
produce data that was able to be compared to the results of the original study, and
reduce our costs as it would be an update of the existing model, rather than development of a new model.
The original modelling work cost approx £400,000, took over a year to develop, and required a significant amount of data to be provided by London’s waste authorities. In terms of both time and cost, it is more effective for the GLA to pay for this model to be updated than to undertake our own new modelling work.
Mike Tuffrey
Why is it necessary that the renewable energy technology requirement specified is only being able to be delivered onsite under policy 4A.7 in the draft further alterations to the London Plan?
Mayor
The onsite renewable energy policy is only one of a number in the draft further alterations to the London Plan that require the applicants to consider all aspects of energy use and generation. The policy specifies onsite renewables as we need to maximise the opportunity on all development sites, given space and other constraints within London. It would also be difficult to guarantee that offsite commitments were built.
Undertakings on renewable energy under renewable supply tariffs may be changed with only 28 days notice under current regulations, making such commitments difficult to monitor.
Mike Tuffrey
According to the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, CO2 emissions from aviation have doubled since 1990 and are set to double again by 2030. This will mean around 40,000 million tonnes of CO2 from aviation - exceeding your target for total CO2 emissions from all sectors. How do your commitments on climate change square with your support for substantial new runway capacity in the South East over the last 4 years? Will you rule out any further runway capacity in the South East?
Mayor
When we drafted the London Plan in 2002, the information on climate change was not nearly as alarming as it is today. The growth in aviation is a great concern and will completely undermine the reductions in emissions achieved elsewhere. I have therefore asked my London Plan team to prepare amendments to the plan opposing any further runway capacity in the south-east.
Mike Tuffrey
Which boroughs have so far completed or identified sites for zero-carbon developments and what is the size of the sites?
Mayor
Following publication of my Energy Strategy in 2004 I have been working to minimise carbon emissions from all new development that is referred to me. In addition I have been working with partners in the London Energy Partnership and Boroughs to bring forward low and zero carbon developments. This includes publishing guidance for Boroughs in the “Towards Zero Carbon Developments: Supportive Information for Boroughs” report issued by the London Energy Partnership in July 2006 and available through the Partnership’s website (www.lep.org.uk), and establishing the London Climate Change Agency and London ESCo to assist in the delivery of low and zero carbon developments. This work is being put into practice through the planned Gallions Park zero carbon development, which comprises 200 dwellings and is in the London Borough of Newham.
BedZed zero energy development (the forerunner of zero carbon development) in the London Borough of Sutton comprises 82 dwellings and community and work facilities and was completed in 2002.
Mike Tuffrey
Will all 4 projects in the Albert Basin at Gallions Park, referred to in your answer to MQT 2298/2006 be carbon neutral?
Mayor
It is my intention that as they come forward the other developments in the Albert Basin should if possible be zero carbon. The LDA, the London Climate Change Agency and others are currently examining the best way to achieve this.
Mike Tuffrey
The Action Plan to be published under the London Food Strategy, due in the autumn, has not been published. Please provide an update on the work undertaken by the LDA and London Food since May 2006 to implement the Strategy so that Londoners can understand the LDA’s plans for investment to implement it.
Mayor
The Food Implementation Group has met four times since the launch of the Strategy, and has produced a proposed implementation plan, which will be submitted for my approval early in the New Year. The plan will be made public once it is approved.
Mike Tuffrey
How will you encourage retrofitting to promote greater energy efficiency amongst London’s existing housing stock?
Mayor
Policies to tackle climate change by retrofitting the existing stock will be set out in my London Housing Strategy and Strategic Investment Plan, which will be published in the summer of 2007. The question of how best to address this issue was specifically identified in my consultation document “Towards the Mayor’s Housing Strategy” which was launched at the end of November.
Mike Tuffrey
Please list the energy efficiency grants available to Londoners, other than those provided by local authorities.
Mayor
The Energy Savings Trust can provide details of grants available to Londoners for energy efficiency. They can be contacted at practicalhelp@est.org.uk or by phone on 0870 241 2089. A grants website is also operated by EST at: http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/gid/
Mike Tuffrey
Will the new requirements on public bodies to conserve biodiversity, under Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act, have any impact on work undertaken by the GLA?
Mayor
No, because I already have a statutory Biodiversity Strategy and have regard to biodiversity conservation in exercising the functions of the GLA.
Mike Tuffrey
What bodies are responsible for monitoring the safety (in terms of radiation levels) and the security of nuclear waste transported through London?
Mayor
The transportation of spent nuclear fuel through London by rail is undertaken by Direct Rail Services, a company owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency. This is regulated and monitored by the Government based on the requirements of the International Atomic (Energy Agency IAEA) guidelines.
LFEPA has no duty to monitor the safety and security of nuclear waste transported through London, but in the event of an accident, it has arrangements in place to provide information to the public under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001.
Mike Tuffrey
What predications have you made as to how the number of movements of nuclear waste and radioactive materials, per week, will increase over the next twenty years, with and without new nuclear power stations being built in the UK?
Mayor
I published a report on 12 October that considered the broad implications for London of the Government's Energy Review. The report is available on the website: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/transport/nuclear_transport.jsp. It is not possible to make a detailed assessment of the sort you are suggesting given that the number and location of any new nuclear power stations has not yet been determined by the Government.
Mike Tuffrey
What abatement systems are in place to reduce levels of dust on the underground? Please provide figures for levels of tunnel dust present on the underground for the past five years.
Mayor
The PPP Contracts do not provide direct abatement systems to reduce dust levels. However, the Infracos are obligated to comply with an LU Standard which specifies the cleaning that must be carried out within tunnels. In addition, the incentive system used to reward or penalise the ambience levels achieved by the Infracos indirectly incentivises the control of dust levels, because the ambience measures reflect the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the Infracos' cleaning regimes.
Dust levels were not measured annually until 2004/5. Prior to this, specific studies of dust were conducted from time to time. In summary, these studies showed dust levels steadily falling from the late 1980s onwards. This trend continues as shown by the latest figures below. This last major independent study into dust on the Underground was done by the Institute of Occupational Medicine in 2003/4. This authoritative study concluded that tunnel dust was highly unlikely to be harmful to human health but recommended annual monitoring of dust levels, which is now done. Dust levels vary by location, which is why a range is given. 2006/7 results are expected in February.
Mike Tuffrey
What are the most recent findings of Transport for London’s mystery traveller survey in terms of the amount of litter found on buses?
Mayor
Mystery Travellers assign a ‘score’ to a series of journey aspects, including the presence of litter on buses. This Mystery Traveller Survey in Q2 2006/07 scores the satisfaction with the level of litter on buses at 71. This is up 3 points from same quarter 2 years ago.
Mike Tuffrey
Have you offset your carbon emissions from your recent visits to Cuba and Venezuela, including all your staff who travelled with you, and if so, how?
Mayor
As stated in response to 1892/2006 (see below), all GLA air travel is now separately analysed by the finance department when invoices/expense claims are paid. The cost of all carbon offsets will therefore be calculated automatically, at the end of the financial year. This is done through purchasing carbon credits under the European Emissions Trading Scheme.
Mike Tuffrey
Could you tell me how you have offset the 1.93 tonnes of CO2 emissions per person for you and your team’s trip to Los Angeles in August to announce the partnership between the Clinton Climate Initiative and Large Cities Climate Leadership Group?
Mayor
All GLA air travel is now separately analysed by the finance department when invoices/expense claims are paid. The cost of all carbon offsets will therefore be calculated automatically, at the end of the financial year. The precise nature of the carbon credits to be purchased at the end of financial year 2006/07 has yet to be decided.
Mike Tuffrey
Given that London buses were able to meet Euro IV emission standards by 2005, why has the Low-Emission Zone proposal been revised to make the target for London’s HGVs, buses and coaches 2012 rather than 2010 as originally suggested?
Mayor
The consultation on the low emission zone highlighted the concerns of many operators, particularly small coach and HGV operators, about the costs and difficulties of complying with the Euro IV standard in 2010. The Euro IV standard only became mandatory for vehicles sold in the EU from October 2006 and so the many smaller operators who have made a relatively recent purchase of a Euro III vehicle, would have to upgrade their vehicles in a relatively short time period if the 2010 standards were applied. On the basis of this, I agreed to defer the Euro VI standard for particulates until 2012.
Mike Tuffrey
Given your commitment to accommodate London’s growth within its boundaries, what representations have you made to Thames Water, concerning its plans to build a 4-mile square reservoir in Oxfordshire to accommodate growing need for water in London, which could otherwise be met by conservation, leakage reduction, and metering?
Mayor
Thames Water released its Stage 1: Needs and Alternatives Report on the 14 September 2006. We have until the 9 November to make our representation to Thames Water. In the meantime, we are currently working through the report. On 25 October, Thames Water is meeting with colleagues to answer their questions on the report.
Mike Tuffrey
How is the hydrogen used in London buses generated, and over what timescale do you envisage being able to power London’s fuel cell buses with carbon-neutral sources of hydrogen?
Mayor
The hydrogen currently used to power London's fuel cell buses is commercially produced from industrial sources, based on fossil fuels, as only small quantities of ‘green’ hydrogen are available in the UK.
In common with developing other new fuels, there needs to be a strong demand and a clear market. The 70 new hydrogen vehicles the London Hydrogen Partnership estimates will be used in London by 2010 will help create this demand.
The draft Further Alterations to the London Plan, will encourage the development of greener sources of hydrogen, for example from municipal waste sources While there is likely to be some component of fossil hydrogen for some time, after 2010, London's hydrogen is likely to increasingly come from green sources.
Mike Tuffrey
Will you ask Associated Newspapers and News International to pay for recycling bins to be provided across London to cope with the new evening free sheets being distributed on the streets?
Mayor
London’s boroughs and the Corporation of London, not the GLA, are responsible for cleaning London’s streets. They have strong powers to tackle litter. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment 2005 Act, Schedule 3a, free distribution of printed matter on designated land, authorities may designate land where it is an offence to distribute printed matter without the consent of the Planning Authority. In granting consent, the authority can charge a fee and apply conditions, which could conceivably include the provision of and/or funding newspaper recycling bins. There are already over 300 commuter recycling bins outside Tube and train stations, which in most areas are very successful in helping to divert newspapers away from the litter bin. I would like London’s boroughs to work with the distributors of these newspapers so they act more responsibly. I will ask London councillors what measures they intend to take to address the issues.
Mike Tuffrey
What arrangements are in place to collect and recycle newspapers left on TfL buses?
Mayor
Bus operators are contracted to clean buses, and they make their own local arrangements for the disposal of rubbish. TfL has taken steps to ensure that the recent increase in free newspaper distribution does not adversely impact on the amount of litter left on the bus network.
TfL’s Mystery Traveller Survey’s monitors the amount of litter found on buses. The information from this survey is constantly reviewed and forms part of regular performance reviews with bus operators.
Mike Tuffrey
What can you do as Mayor to reduce the level of carbon emissions from London’s air traffic?
Mayor
I have supported Central Government moves to bring aviation within the EU Emissions Trading scheme (for example in the GLA response to Government’s Energy Review) and continue to press for fiscal measures to reduce demand for air travel. I have also introduced carbon off-setting for GLA group air travel, and encourage other organisations to do the same.
Mike Tuffrey
How many internal UK flights have GLA personnel and staff and Members elected or appointed to its functional bodies taken in each of the years 2000 - 2006?
Mayor
In order to provide you with a response to this, I have asked officers to retrieve this information from archives for 6 years of travel and expense claims. I have asked officers to proceed with collating this information and will send it to you when the exercise has been completed.
Mike Tuffrey
Has the GLA conducted any research in to what level of waste is produced annually by London’s restaurants and what proportion of this is landfilled?
Mayor
The Environment Agency provides statistics regarding commercial waste. The last available data (from 1998) shows that 61,000 tonnes of food waste were produced by London’s commercial sector that year, of which around 33 per cent was sent to landfill. More recent EA data is not detailed enough to identity the amount of food waste. This data needs to be treated with caution, as it is out of date and fails to take into account that London has over half of the country’s restaurants (and is a growing industry).
Restaurant waste offers huge opportunities for composting and as a source of biomass to fuel biogas plants, capable of producing both heat and power, or acting as a source of renewable hydrogen, and I will be coming forward with proposals in the revision of my municipal waste strategy and my wider waste strategy to deal with this waste stream more sustainably.
Mike Tuffrey
What research has the GLA undertaken into the environmental benefits of using reusable as opposed to disposable paper nappies, and what action is being taken to change behaviour across London?
Mayor
The GLA has not undertaken any research into the environmental benefits of using reusable as opposed to disposable nappies, as this has been done by the Environment Agency and is available on their website. A London-wide scheme for promoting the use of ‘real’ (cloth) nappies is being developed by the Women’s Environmental Network, in conjunction with London boroughs and supported by the GLA.