The outcome of the stakeholder discussions will feed into the country’s National Waste Plan – due to be published in the autumn – which will outline incineration policies over the next 20 years.
“We’re not advocating mass burial to mass burn,” a SEPA spokesman explaining the proposals was quick to point out. “Incineration will only take place after a great deal of front end sorting.”
But he said that the Agency believes “a major increase in the use of energy from waste technology” will be necessary between 2010-2020 in particular so that Scotland can meet the third and toughest landfill directive target.
This requires councils by 2020 to reduce biodegradable municipal waste landfilled to 35% of that produced in 1995. It proposes to meet the first two landfill directive goals by prioritising recycling and composting.
Six guidelines
The consultation focuses on six different guidelines issued by SEPA. These include proposals such as the prior separation of non-renewable and non-combustible materials before thermal treatment. Explaining the thinking behind this proposal, the spokesman said: “We want to improve the sorting of waste to pull out materials not suitable for incineration – such as batteries. We will need to improve the quality of the feedstock (before incineration).”
In another of the guidelines, SEPA specifies that energy from waste plants should only take separated waste, and that certain types of waste may be excluded from the process.
Finnie
In a concurrent debate in the Scottish Parliament, Environment Minister Ross Finnie said: “Incineration must not be seen as an easy alternative to landfill…first and foremost we want to see waste reduction and recycling. Energy from waste should only be considered as part of an integrated waste management solution.”
The National Waste Plan is the second step in a thorough review of Scottish waste management, which began in 1999 when the National Waste Strategy was published. There are now two household waste incinerators in Scotland.
For full details on the consultation and the guidelines, see the Agency’s website at www.sepa.org.uk
Subscribe for free