Day 005 - 04 Jul 94 - Page 46
1 recycled ... (reading to the words) ... or incinerated".
2 Would you agree with that objective as a general standard
to achieve?
3 A. As a target, is that what you are saying? Do I think
that is a good target?
4
Q. Yes.
5 A. But I think it is a target. I will have to see how
technology allows us to actually accomplish it.
6
Q. Then under the amendments it says over the page, the third
7 amendment: "A hierarchy of priorities in policy on
packaging and packaging waste, the descending order of
8 priorities is prevention, reuse, recycling, incineration
... (reading to the words) ... disposal by way of
9 landfill". Would you agree with that proposal as a
target?
10 A. Would I agree with it? I am not so sure it would be
my particular order of things, given technology today, but
11 over the long run, certainly prevention, i.e. if that
means reduction, I suppose, I would put that first, and my
12 company's work in reducing its solid waste stream are
absolutely exemplary. We have taken a huge proportion out
13 already and we will do more.
14 Q. So would you say that prevention is your No.1 target in
any event, whatever the European community wants?
15 A. As technology allows us to prevent the use of what we
have now and go to something which is more efficient,
16 better, But I think that has to be sensible. If we
cannot, then falling back on energy recovery, recycling,
17 using a second or third or fourth time have also got to
have parts to play in it, sure.
18
Q. Would you say that the last part "disposal by way of
19 landfill", would you say that is the worst option?
A. No. I do not think it is the worst option. I do not
20 think it is intended to be best to worst. It is talking
about priorities. If you can do something first, let us
21 try and prevent it; if you can do something second, let us
try and use it. If we have no other option, fall back on
22 some kind of other disposal.
23 Q. So you do not think that the Tidy Brian Group is
supporting a hierarchy of priorities as stated there,
24 where prevention is the first priority, through to reuse,
recycling, incineration and finally disposal as the lowest
25 priority.
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: But I think that is, save for the use of the
word "priorities", is that not what Mr. Preston said? You
27 try and prevent waste; as second best to that, you try and
reuse it; the third best to that, you try to recycle it
28 and the last of the options is to dispose by way of
landfill.
29
MR. MORRIS: Yes. Would you consider whether it was the law or
30 not the law, that there are alternatives for McDonald's
Corporation in its approach to packaging? I will give you
