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New EU legislation, including the Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive, have set Scotland the target to landfill no more than 1.32 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by 2010.
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Scotland produces approximately 22 million tonnes of waste per year of which around 3.4 million tonnes is municipal waste.
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Currently Scotland deals with municipal waste in the following ways; 27% recycling/composting, 2% energy from waste and 71% landfill.
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According to various sources in order to meet legislative targets the best option in terms of achievability and environmental benefits may be high recycling rates with energy recovery from the remaining residual waste through Combined Heat and Power.
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Residual Energy from Waste plants are strictly regulated by SEPA in line with EU standards set out in the Waste Incineration Directive. |
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One of the Scottish Government’s key waste management principles is to move towards a zero waste society and to help achieve this residual waste should be regarded as a resource that can provide environmental and economic benefits. |
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In Denmark and Sweden over 50% of waste (residual waste that cannot be recycled) is used in energy from waste, 40-42% is recycled/composted and only 4% landfilled. In France the figures are 35% energy from waste, 35% recycling/composting, 30% landfill. In Germany; 22% energy from waste, 60% recycling/composting and 18% landfill. These European waste management models represent some of the options open to Scotland. |
