The consultation, issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) contains five proposed strategies to increase recycling and reduce dependence on landfill. The region has traditionally used cheap landfill in the former coal fields and about half of the landfill sites are owned by local authorities. In the past there was a political reluctance among local authorities to consider anything other than landfill which is why recycling rates are currently little above 3%. Now SEPA has warned of the environmental damage that landfill can cause saying there is a need to reduce waste disposed of in this way.
Five options
SEPA's five options contain a range of proposals with three suggesting energy from waste options. All contain recycling, composting and landfill targets as well.
Capital costs of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley project range from 76 million to 425 million with revenue costs to local authorities rising in proportion from 78 to 108 per tonne.
SEPA waste strategy co-ordinator John Stewart said: “We are now starting wide public consultation on the strategy. We have already carried out life cycle analysis using the Wisard model and will be looking also at the criteria under economic and social headings.”
The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Waste Strategy Area Group is made up of representatives of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the eight Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Companies, the Voluntary Sector and the Waste Management Industry.
Glasgow and Clyde Valley specialist Nichol Slaven of SEPA said: “Each household in the area currently produces over one tonne of waste each year. Over 96% of this is disposed of in landfill sites with only about 3% of it being recycled. We must improve on these figures and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Waste which has been landfilled has the potential to cause pollution to land, air and water and can lead to lasting environmental damage. This Issues consultation paper suggests alternatives to the current reliance on landfill disposal including waste minimisation, recycling, reuse, composting, and Energy from Waste.
“Everybody living or working in the area has an interest in the way waste is produced, treated, recycled and disposed of, and should take this opportunity to have their say on the options proposed in the Issues paper. My advice to the people of Glasgow and Clyde Valley is that we have no option but change, so make sure you have your say.”
Copies of the Issues Paper are available from the SEPA Web Site www.sepa.org.uk
or Morag Devlin, tel: 0141 945 6350.
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