Environment minister, Michael Meacher, has been accused of misleading parliament when he told MPs that the European Commission was to blame for the thousands of fridges piling up across Britain.

Forum Response: British Retail Consortium

A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium told ePolitix.com: "Retailers sought guidance from the government on EC Regulation 2037/2000 as early as October 2000. The British Retail Consortium and a number of retail companies consistently warned the government that the recycling infrastructure would collapse if retailers were forced in to a position whereby they could no longer take back used fridges and freezers.

"Contrary to Mr Meacher's claim, retailers were forced to stop taking back fridges because they had no legal means of recycling them. The minister continues to suggest that the situation is under control because £6 million has been allocated to local authorities to store fridges but in fact not a penny has yet been paid and this funding will do nothing to reinstate the recycling infrastructure that has collapsed as a result of the regulations.

"It is estimated that the fiasco will cost the UK £75 million but the government may not have considered the impact on pubs, caterers, drinks machine operators and retailers (large and small) who use commercial refrigeration systems.

"The regulations have been in force in relation to commercial refrigeration since November 2000 which suggests that there has been no compliance since then. Our research suggests that this has the potential to stop or slow supermarket refurbishment projects worth hundreds of millions of pounds and similar figures have been quoted for the hospitality sector."

Forum Response: Environmental Services Association

Dirk Hazell, chief executive of the Environmental Services Association, told ePolitix.com: "The UK has signed up to many EU requirements intended to improve environmental sustainability but implementation of the Landfill Directive has not gone well and the associated National Waste Strategy is under-funded.

"ESA's primary concern is not who said what to whom and when. Fridges provide a specific illustration of more general British tardiness to match the EU's legal requirements for greater environmental sustainability with the necessary resources and regulation.

"Another example would be ongoing transport in the UK of clinical wastes in plastic sacks instead of the rigid containers required by the EU (despite investment by ESA's Members to enable the UK to comply).

"ESA welcomes the prime minister's decision to order a Cabinet Office review of the waste strategy and we want the secretary of state successfully to implement the UK's duties under EU law. To this end, every resource ESA and our Members can muster continues to be at the minister's disposal."

Forum Response: The Environment Council

Mo Humphries, head of marketing and external relations at The Environment Council, told ePolitix.com: "It appears that a lot of energy is being put into the search for someone to blame in relation to the root causes of the fridge row.

"Wouldn't it be better to channel that energy into working with all stakeholders to find a practical solution to the problem? The Environment Council believes the most creative and effective solutions to such issues can be found through taking a collaborative approach."