Application of the waste hierarchy
2.—(1) To apply the following waste hierarchy as a priority order in waste prevention and management policy—
(a)prevention;
(b)preparing for re-use;
(c)recycling;
(d)other recovery (for example energy recovery);
(e)disposal.
(2) When applying the waste hierarchy in sub-paragraph (1), the appropriate authority must ensure that it—
(a)encourages the options that deliver the best overall environmental outcome, which may require specific waste streams to depart from the hierarchy where this is justified by life-cycle thinking on the overall impacts of the generation and management of such waste;
(b)takes into account—
(i)the general environmental protection principles of precaution and sustainability,
(ii)technical feasibility and economic viability,
(iii)protection of resources, and
(iv)the overall environmental, human health, economic and social impacts.