The proposed controls, like those allocated by DEFRA earlier this month covering England and Wales have been issued this week by the Scottish Executive. The consultation period runs up until November 20 2002 and introduces more stringent controls on the incineration of waste for over 200 efw (energy from waste) plants in Scotland.
Proposed controls introduce more stringent operating conditions such as tighter emissions controls and set minimum technical requirements for the plants. The controls cover anything from municipal waste and clinical waste incinerators as well as smaller-scale plants such as waste oil burners often found in vehicle servicing garages. The paper also covers co-incinerators, where waste is used as a fuel or is disposed of at a plant where energy generation or other production is its main purpose.
Timing
Like controls set for England and Wales, the controls will apply to Scotland’s new incinerators from December 28 2002 and to existing incinerators from December 28 2005. And are in line with the European Commission Directive on the Incineration of Waste, designed to prevent or limit negative effects on the environment and resulting risks to human health.
According to Allan Wilson, the deputy minister for Environment and Rural Development even through many large scale incinerators in Scotland are already tightly regulated, these proposals extend controls to smaller incinerators “and ensure that all environmental impacts are minimised”.
He said: “The proposals also set out how we plan to meet stringent European standards for emissions. I would encourage everyone with an interest in incineration of waste to respond to the consultation paper.”
The new controls will be enforced by the Scottish Environment Agency (SEPA), with operators of incinerators required to apply for a permit from SEPA; permits will contain conditions to ensure plants comply with new controls.
Meeting the proposals, however, should not present a problem for Scotland as a majority of existing plants already fall within the permitting regime of the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) and will be regulated under PPC from 2005. The PPC is being used as the main vehicle for delivering the new controls set out in the consultation paper with view to reducing any regulatory burdens.
The consultation paper is available on the Scottish Executive website at: see Scottish Executive website
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