A Burning Issue
News Release: Monday 17th December 2007
Independent Review of Waste Policy in Scotland considers the potential of creating energy from waste
Today, the Sustainable Development Commission Scotland published advice to the Scottish Government following a recent review of waste policy, looking particularly at the role of energy from waste in Scotland.
Key conclusions of our independent review:
• Scottish Government’s ambition to move to a Zero Waste society is welcome and will help to focus action on sustainable waste management.
• Energy from waste could play a role in a Zero Waste society but only with strict criteria and within an overall context of waste minimisation.
• Scotland has seen impressive increases in recycling levels and is ahead of schedule on delivery of recycling targets, however there is room to set more ambitious targets in the future
• There is a need for more action by business to contribute towards achieving Zero Waste
Each year the amount of waste produced increases. Currently 93% of the materials we use are discarded during the production process. Approximately 80% of goods are discarded after a single use.
The bulk of our household waste still ends up in landfill, therefore movement towards a Zero Waste society must be a priority for the Government in order to increase our resource efficiency and competitiveness. One issue missed is commercial and industrial waste – household waste is only part of the issue.
Commissioner Jan Bebbington said:
"Our independent review of waste policy in Scotland welcomes the Government's ambition for Zero Waste."
"In the last few years Scotland's record on recycling has improved dramatically, and credit must go to the Scottish Government and local authorities throughout Scotland for this. However, Scottish performance is still below the European average, so we have much further to go if we are to match levels in the best performing countries."
"The Government must consider the route of the journey towards a Zero Waste society: energy from waste could play a role but only with strict criteria and within an overall context of waste minimisation. Therefore it is essential they revisit the National Waste Strategy and work closely with local government to achieve this."
The SDC is clear that further improvements can be made to recycling in Scotland but that recycling alone will not move Scotland away from landfilling waste.
One potential tool in the transition to Zero Waste could be a limited role for energy from waste, which can be compatible with sustainable development if certain criteria are met:
• the Scottish Government must set out clear criteria on how energy from waste plants should be delivered
• Government should revise the National Waste Plan to reflect the movement of policy to a framework for Zero Waste
• Government needs to work harder to move the focus of waste management in Scotland onto waste minimisation.
» Read the Sustainable Development Commission's full review, A Burning Issue: energy from waste in Scotland
