This post from Secure Data Recycling sets out the background to the change in terminology and definition of ‘municipal waste’ since 2011

Background

The definition of municipal waste as described in the Landfill Directive includes both household waste and that from other sources which is similar in nature and composition, which will include a significant proportion of waste generated by businesses and not collected by Local Authorities. 

Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS).

In 2010, negotiations with the EU Commission and consultation with the waste community redefined national targets and the effects of this change in relation to the EU Landfill Directive targets.

Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste (LACMW).

LACMW refers to the previous ‘municipal’ element of the waste collected by local authorities. That is household waste and business waste where collected by the local authority and which is similar in nature and composition as required by the Landfill Directive. This is the definition that will be used for LATS allowances.

Local Authority Collected Waste (LACW).

All waste collected by the local authority. This is a slightly broader concept than LACMW as it would include both this and non municipal fractions such as construction and demolition waste. LACW is the definition that will be used in statistical publications, which previously referred to municipal waste.

WasteDataFlow Statistics

From 2011, statistical releases and outputs from WasteDataFlow will be branded as Local Authority Collected Waste. This reflects the coverage of the data collected. Previous outputs may be found which are described as ‘municipal waste’ but will purely reflect the old description – the data will not have changed and will only cover LA activity. We expect it will take some time for the new terminology to become established.