The proposals include:
- Setting up kerbside pick-up schemes to collect separated waste from homes for recycling and composting.
- Promoting waste minimisation to “freeze” the amount of household rubbish produced in the area at 2002’s levels (about 320,000 tonnes a year).
- Introducing home composting for up to 15% of all suitable households, and expand small-scale community composting.
- Increasing the number of recycling facilities, and the number of sites that accept green waste.
- Increasing the capacity for biological treatment (eg composting) in the area from 60,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes by 2005.
- Reducing the volume of waste going to landfill.
The plan also sets out the role that will be played by a proposed energy from waste plant in Aberdeen. The plant will generate electricity from 110,000 tonnes of the area’s household waste. SEPA says that there may also be a need for additional energy from waste facilities in the long term, but this “will depend on the success of recycling, biological treatment, and waste prevention and education initiatives.”
Low impact
The option chosen may cost approximately 150m over 20 years and could create the equivalent of 1300 full time jobs over the 20 years. SEPA explains that In terms of air, land, water, global warming and depletion of non-renewable resources, it also had one of the lowest environmental impact of all options considered.
Peter Olsen of SEPA co-ordinated the group’s work: “There needs to be a significant reduction in how much rubbish we create, and we need to get the most from the waste that we do produce. By treating our waste as a resource, we can help bring about economic, environmental and social benefits for the North-east. However, this is a massive challenge to all sectors of business and society. This plan sets out the framework for achieving a successful move away from our over-reliance on landfill sites.”
Financial
Councillor Jenny Watson of Aberdeenshire Council said: “This document sets the scene for each and every one of us and brings home the fact that we must all take more responsibility for the waste that we produce. The focus for Aberdeenshire Council is very much on waste prevention, that is, not producing the waste in the first place. In this way we avoid all of the environmental and financial costs associated with waste collection, reprocessing and disposal. If we don't all do our bit, it may cost us the earth.”
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