London mayor Ken Livingstone is lobbying for a Single Waste Disposal Authority in the capital.

Dismissing current waste management provisions and future plans outlined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as “wholly ineffective”, the mayor has proposed a unitary approach to rubbish in the Greater London Authority Bill.

The projected new scheme features amendments tabled by backbenchers Karen Buck and Andrew Dismore, including plans to tackle littering, fly-tipping and graffiti by abandoning a voluntary approach.

“We don’t need a voluntary forum,” said the mayor. “There are countless committees and networks to talk about waste in London. But there are previous few ways of actually enforcing action.

“Climate change means we don’t have the luxury of getting this wrong,” he added.

Originally published on November 28th last year, the Bill will have been debated in the House of Commons today (February 27th).

Friends of the Earth backs the plans for a single waste authority. London Campaigner Jenny Bates said: “We fully support the mayor’s call for a single waste disposal authority in London.

“A strategic London Waste Authority would help break the logjam in London’s recycling performance, which is currently amongst the worst in England.”