The three-month project is being carried out by the Scottish Institute of Sustainable Technology (SISTech), part of Heriot-Watt University and is being funded by the Pishiobury Trust, an environmental body to support recycling and sustainable waste management.
The study will determine the long-term impacts of several integrated transport scenarios, based on an increase in movement of waste on Scottish Inland Waterways. The opinions of waterway organisations, commercial operators, Local Authorities, SEPA and the private sector will also be considered.
Although the focus of the trial will be in Scotland the findings will be used for the rest of the UK and should show the potential of linking up with the rail infrastructure for waste transportation.
The Pishiobury Trust, has received funds for this project through the landfill tax credits scheme from Viridor. Mike Hellings, Viridor’s Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to support this study, which should assist the development of more sustainable transportation systems within the waste management infrastructure.”
British Waterways has also given the project further funding. Tom Chaplin, freight executive, said: “The National Waste Strategy for Scotland will require an integrated waste management infrastructure and inland waterway transportation, as a best practicable environmental option, cannot be ignored.”
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