The warning comes as the landfill site in Peterhead, which takes most of the waste for the region, is running out of capacity. The lack of disposal space means that waste is having to be “exported” outside the region, and waste from council collections and some trade waste is now being taken to a landfill site near Perth.
Both the Peterhead landfill and another in Aberdeen are waiting for operating permits from SEPA before they begin work on extensions to the landfill facilities.
A statement from SEPA said: “SEPA will do all that it can to determine these applications as quickly as possible but this requires close co-operation by the operators and the provision of comprehensive information about their proposals. Any new sites, or extensions, must meet standards in place to protect the environment and public health.”
Small sites in the region have been safeguarded but are only able to take local waste. The Wester Hatton site in Aberdeenshire has been ‘mothballed’ by the site operators, but it could take up to 6 months for the site to be reopened.
Over the next six months, SEPA has urged local authorities, waste producers and waste management companies to work together with the public to minimise the amount of waste requiring landfill.
Tom Anderson of SEPA said: “We will continue to ensure that new or expanded sites are only allowed to operate once they comply with the regulations that SEPA is responsible for enforcing. Waste producers and waste companies must also ensure that they work within the limits of environmental legislation. Businesses can contact their local SEPA office for advice on meeting waste management regulations, and they can get information about reducing their waste problem from our website.”
He added: “We would also urge the public to play their part by helping to reduce, re-use and recycle waste, which will mean there is less that needs to be landfilled.”
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