The Highland strategy group, which developed the plan, has estimated that it will cost 260 million to handle the county's 500,000 tonnes of waste a year until 2020. It believes substantial funds for the plan would probably come from the Scottish Executive’s Strategic Waste Fund.
The target set for recycling is 31%, for composting 13% and for energy recovery 27%, which will leave just 29% of waste to be landfilled.
Malcolm Sangster, Highland waste strategy co-ordinator, said: “The targets in the area waste plan are challenging but the universal consensus from independent experts and government is that they are achievable.”
Covering such a large area, the Highlands pose a significant transport problem for waste management. Mr Sangster said that this has been taken into account. “The issue of the transport distances was a factor in drawing up the best practicable environmental option which forms the basis of the area waste plan,” he said.
“This is reflected in the plan to have locally based composting schemes and to develop local markets for this compost. The problems of the separate collection schemes will have to worked out through the implementation plan, but remember the Council already collects waste from all households in the Highlands and has to transport it large distances so we know it can be done.”
The Highland waste strategy group is made up of representatives from public bodies, community groups, the waste industry and waste producers. The plan is the Highlands’ contribution to the Scottish National Waste Plan.
The next step is currently being taken by the Highland Council who is drawing up the implementation plan, to be revealed at the end of the summer. It will include details of possible private sector contracts.
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