We need to see what has worked elsewhere in Europe, and take advantage of the lessons countries such as Denmark offer
Edwin Poots
Mr Poots was speaking this week (December 15) as Northern Ireland's three regional local authority waste management partnerships, SWaMP, arc21, and the North West Region Waste Management Group, all continue with the procurement of long-term contracts to manage residual waste, which could include the development of energy from waste facilities. The contracts are expected to be finalised by early 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Last week Northern Ireland announced that it had achieved a 34% household waste recycling rate in 2008/09 (see this letsrecycle.com story), but currently it has no energy from waste facilities and relies heavily on landfill for disposal.
The Northern Ireland Executive said that the most economical and environmentally responsible way of dealing with the residue of the waste after all recyclates have been removed was to use it to produce energy.
The Minister said: “Local government is embarking on a major programme of waste infrastructure procurement, requiring investment estimated to be in excess of £550 million, with a commitment by the Northern Ireland Executive to contribute £200 million towards that.
“As the Minister tasked with responsibility for administering this fund, I must see at first hand, and understand, the type of facilities that we are seeking to develop. Energy from waste has to be a key feature of the Northern Ireland's waste management strategy.”
Mr Poots added that failure to meet European targets for diversion from landfill could result in fines of £180 million per year, which would ultimately be borne by every ratepayer/taxpayer in Northern Ireland.
He said: “Our first priority for avoiding these fines must be to prevent waste, encourage the re-use of valuable resources and the recycling of waste when it arises. I am convinced that we will need to put all our efforts into these activities and the recovery of energy from waste if we are to avoid the fines and improve our environment.”
Denmark
The minister was speaking ahead of a fact-finding trip to Denmark and outlined the importance of learning from successful energy from waste facilities in Europe.
Denmark has integrated high energy from waste production (upwards of 60%) with recycling rates of around 40% and an almost total ban on landfill. It has managed to achieve this with one of the lowest waste-to-energy gate fees in Europe.
The country of 5.5 million has 29 energy from waste plants, which treat 26% of the total waste generated, producing electricity and district heating. Heat from waste to energy facilities is generally the cheapest source of heating in Denmark.
Mr Poots said: “I am looking forward to seeing and hearing how effectively [energy from waste] has become a core element of Danish national energy policy, and in particular how it has become an integral feature of many Danish households with cost-effective district heating schemes.”
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