Incentives crucial to getting public behind waste facilities

The study, entitled ‘Waste management infrastructure: Incentivising community buy-in,' claims that community ownership of waste facilities, discounts on utility bills for locals and community funds are all avenues which the government and industry could explore to get more facilities on the ground.

Drawing on previous research and a substantial set of interviews with waste professionals – including CIWM chair Steve Lee, Dr Gev Eduljee from SITA UK, Peter Jones OBE and consultant Bob Lisney – the study makes a set of specific recommendations to help the UK achieve the sort of successes experienced in other European countries, where waste facilities are associated with social benefits.

The study was published by the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group (APRSRG) – a forum which informs debate between parliamentarians and business leaders.

Writing in the foreword to the report, APSRG co-chairs Dr Alan Whitehead MP, Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE and Dan Rogerson MP said that public opposition had to be overcome because the Audit Commission believed the UK was treading a “fine line “with regard to meeting “crucial” landfill diversion targets for 2013 and 2020.

They said: “Local communities need to be given a genuine stake in the development of new facilities, and realise tangible benefits as a product of this process.

“This report represents an attempt to address this challenge by identifying innovative solutions that could serve to incentivise community buy-in to the development of new facilities; empowering local communities and delivering tangible community benefits.”

The twelve recommendations in the study, which was sponsored by SITA UK and compiled by Thomas Moody, are:

Community Ownership

• Government should examine the potential use of community ownership structures for waste management facilities
• Local authorities should be encouraged to assist in the development of community investment groups to provide support for local shareholding schemes

Energy Discounts

• Government should consider the potential to amend Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1976 to permit local authorities to sell electricity that has not been produced in association with heat.
• Government should consider removing the volume limit on the Class A exemption for small suppliers under the Electricity Order 2001.
• Government should examine the potential to wide Class C exemption for on-site supply under the Electricity Order 2001, to include the supply of electricity exported from another license exempt site.

Community Funds

• Government and industry should explore the community fund model as a flexible means to deliver planning gain. Government should support the sharing of best practice in the setting up and operation of such funds.

District Heating and Cooling

• Local authorities should use heat mapping as a strategic planning tool to better co-locate heat supply with demand.
• Government should ensure that all new-build plans consider the potential for the inclusion of district heating.
• Government should work with industry to overcome financial barriers in the establishment of district heating networks.
• Government should explore ways of achieving security of demand for district heating systems.

Design

• Defra should establish a working group in conjunction with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) to explore design possibilities for new waste management infrastructure.
• Government should work to establish a standardised review process for waste infrastructure developments.

 

The full report will be available on the APSRG website tomorrow (February 25), following a launch event this evening.