The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is set to launch a policy project with the aim of improving management of waste wood. In order to determine the most sustainable management route for different categories of waste wood, Defra will be required to develop an accurate and comprehensive picture of wood waste and assess the practical and other constraints to achieving their aim. One of the key areas the policy is to address will be the diversion of wood waste from landfill. The recent Renewable Energy Strategy consultation showed strong support for the Government to take further measures to discourage the landfill of biomass waste. It has been estimated that 6 million tonnes of waste wood are currently landfilled each year and it is believed that a supply of waste wood will exist for the foreseeable future. The government is very keen to use this wood waste resource to assist it in meeting its renewable energy target. Recent statistics have suggested that 6 TWh of heat and power is generated from biomass municipal solid waste collected by Local Authorities, and about 18 TWh from landfill gas. If all the food and wood waste sent to landfill were used for energy it would generate 42 TWh, which would account for 18% of their renewable energy target. Representatives from the BWF are due to attend a briefing meeting on the policy project on 21st September 2009. We will work hard to ensure that members are kept informed of any developments, including how the policy project will fit in with current BWF activities on wood waste. Defra forsee that their project will take 18 months to two years to complete.