WWF Scotland expresses concern over increase in incineration, 18 Sept.

Revealed: Threat to Scotland's zero waste plans
18 September 2011 - Click here to read original article on WWF website

Efforts to increase recycling, cut the amount of waste we produce and avoid a rush to incinerate are key to ensuring the Scottish Government’s zero waste plan doesn’t go ‘up in smoke’, said WWF Scotland today.

The call comes in response to reports today of the scale of energy from waste proposals being considered by Scotland’s local authorities. [1] If all these facilities were built, the amount of municipal waste capable of being burnt could increase to over 2 million tonnes, equivalent to two-thirds of Scotland's household waste, making a mockery of government targets to recycle 70% of this waste.

Dr Dan Barlow, Head of Policy at WWF Scotland said:

“The scale of incinerator proposals is shocking and risks making a mockery of the Government’s zero waste vision.

“Burning anything like this volume of household rubbish would render the target to recycle 70 per cent of waste a pipedream and it is at odds with Government commitment that energy from waste would only be used for materials that can't be recycled or reused.

“The prospect of local authorities across Scotland locking themselves into contracts to burn this volume of waste is alarming. The scale of these proposals should be reviewed in the context of our national zero waste commitments and focus directed at measures to step up recycling and get serious about cutting waste volumes if Scotland’s vision of a zero waste future is not to go up in smoke.

“Efforts aimed at supporting greater source segregation, a nation wide deposit return system and the introduction of charging for non recycled waste would all help realise a zero waste future and avoid incineration.

“Realising a zero waste Scotland has a central role to play in addressing our unsustainable patterns of resource use and reducing our global footprint.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

[1] Sunday Herald article ‘The Burning Issue’ 
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-burning-issue-revealed-the-plans-to-build-a-new-wave-of-the-waste-incinerators-that-have-communities-up-in-arms-1.1124356 

[2] Scottish Government Zero Waste Plan
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/08092645/0 

[3] Scottish Government Recycling targets http://www.sepa.org.uk/waste/waste_data/municipal_waste/recycling__composting_targets.aspx