30 billion investment needed in waste facilities, says ICE

In its State of the Nation report published today, the ICE gave a very critical analysis of waste infrastructure in the UK, grading the sector as D for performance and sustainability.

In the report, the ICE said that up to 2,300 new waste treatment facilities must be operational by 2020 to avoid a “major crisis involving millions of tonnes of untreated waste”.

Of particular concern to the Institution was the end of co-disposal of hazardous waste on July 16, 2004, and its implications for other industries. The report said: “The construction and in particular the house building sectors may be hardest hit by this ban as the Hazardous Waste Forum have estimated that their activities generate over 1 million tonnes of contaminated soils.”

Soil

It added that the extra costs to developers of soil treatment could result in fewer houses being built and higher house prices.

The State of the Nation Report also said that there is a disproportionate focus on household waste, which makes up just 8% of the UK's waste. “For the majority of the waste we create, that is non-domestic waste, no-one seems to be taking ownership for co-ordinating its management,” the report said.

Nigel Mattravers, vice chairman of the ICE waste management board, told letsrecycle.com that councils planning to attract businesses to their area should provide an infrastructure to cope with trade waste as well as roads and other services.

“Local authorities have got to recognise that although they do not have to provide commercial and industrial waste services but local authorities must make the necessary infrastructure for them,” he said.

Closed

Mr Mattravers said that there are too many government waste initiatives and some, which have come to the end of their natural lives, need to be closed down.

“If we are to steer clear of an industry melt down, the government must rationalise its plethora of waste initiatives, 72 at last count, and focus on what matters –creating a climate where the private sector will invest in new facilities,” he said.

“This will require improvements to the planning system, clear and timely introductions of promised regulations and a PFI model that does not place unmanageable risks on the private sector.”

Some government initiatives, such as the waste and health and safety for building sites programme launched last week by the employment minister (see letsrecycle.com story), are perhaps not well thought through, Mr Mattravers added.