The campaign group has produced a guide for local authorities, which explains how to deal with waste without building new Energy-from-Waste plants. “How to comply with the Landfill Directive without incineration: a Greenpeace blueprint,” shows how organising kerbside collections and promoting the composting of kitchen and garden waste is the most significant step authorities can take towards meeting targets.
Greenpeace says that the techniques and technology needed to meet the Landfill Directive targets should enable local authorities to meet government targets.
Although some local authorities have said that incineration is necessary to meet the UK’s commitments under the Landfill Directive, or to deal with residual waste left after maximum practical recycling levels have been achieved. Greenpeace says that neither of these arguments is tenable and the guide makes it clear that local authorities do not have to build new incinerators.
Mark Strutt, toxics campaigner for Greenpeace, said: “Too many local authorities are still looking at waste with blinkers on and saying 'if we can't landfill then we'll have to incinerate'. This report shows that is clearly not the case. The opportunities for local authorities to act now and accelerate their shift towards high recycling and composting systems are clearer than ever before. There are no good reasons for any local authority to ever build a waste incinerator again.”
Pick and mix
The report was reviewed and has received support from Biffa who confirmed that the solutions in the report are practical. Peter Jones, director of Biffa Waste Services, said: “It is entirely possible to achieve the Landfill Directive without using incineration, using a flexible 'pick and mix' option. Such an option would utilise source separation, kerbside collection, composting, recycling and mechanical screening to deal with municipal waste in a way that actively contributes to the economic, social and environmental goals of sustainable development.”
The guide gives examples of proven solutions to waste reduction without incineration and outlines successful schemes in England, Canada and Australia, including how Wealden increased its recycling rate from 4% to 53% in two years and in Wye domestic waste has been reduced by 75%.Greenpeace sees the answer as source separation of waste into three streams – dry recyclables, compostable material and residuals combined with in-vessel composting. The report also looks at how councils can cut costs, raise revenues and benefit from new external funds and it explains why Greenpeace sees it as better to dispose of the cleaned and stabilised residual waste in landfill rather than incineration.
Greenpeace says that if the UK does nothing more than recycle or compost 30% of newspaper, card and organic waste, we will have met the 2010 target in the directive of reducing biodegradable waste going to landfill by 25% of 1995 levels. And Greenpeace added that the 2013 target of 50% can easily be exceeded with technology currently available and in use. But while the 2020 target of 65% may be more demanding, Greenpeace said that much can be learnt from cities and regions around the world that have achieved more than this.
For the full report visit
Greenpeace's website.
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