The Plan, which was published today in full and launched at a ceremony in Edinburgh, includes a pledge to abolish a cap on the amount of waste that can be treated by energy-from-waste facilities in the country and calls on councils to raise awareness of ‘on-the-go recycling' and general waste awareness (see letsrecycle.com story).
Councillor Alison Hay, regeneration and sustainable development spokesperson at the COSLA, said: “COSLA welcomes the publication of the Zero Waste Plan. Scottish councils have a long-standing commitment to the zero waste agenda. Authorities are now focusing on the delivery of infrastructure and other services which are required to help achieve a Zero Waste Scotland.”
Cllr Hay also welcomed the plan's focus on waste prevention, commenting: “Scottish councils want to see more measures to prevent waste arising in the first place, as much waste as possible being re-used and materials being recycled to achieve maximum value from these resources.
She added that household waste “can no longer just be dumped in holes in the ground” and said that local authorities would need to continue and accelerate waste being separated by householders and “build upon the existing good work by Scottish local authorities”.
Waste delivery body Zero Waste Scotland – which is led by WRAP Scotland – added praise for the Plan but also stressed the need for a concerted effort to achieve its targets.
Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government's new Zero Waste Plan is a bold vision, but its successful delivery will require people from all walks of life to engage with the issues, understand the true cost of waste and transform the way they produce or consume goods and services. We look forward to the challenge of delivering a Zero Waste Scotland.”
Councils
The City of Edinburgh and Midlothian councils were also quick to assert support for the Plan, which they hope will inform the work they are doing to let a £500 million joint contract for residual waste treatment in the region (see letsrecycle.com story).
Cllr Robert Aldridge, environment leader at the City of Edinburgh council said: “We fully support the Scottish Government's aim to deliver a Zero Waste Scotland. The publication of the Zero Waste Plan reinforces the Business Case prepared by us.
“It allows us to go with increased confidence to the private sector, to secure a waste treatment facility, safe in the knowledge that our approach is endorsed by the Scottish Government's Plan.”
Echoing Cllr Aldridge, Cllr Russell Imrie, cabinet member for strategic services at Midlothian council said; “A lot of pressure has been placed on councils to meet recycling targets and whilst we have continued to do this year on year we also acknowledge there is waste out there that simply cannot be recycled and will need to be treated.
“We will deliver facilities that offer both an environmentally sound solution and value for Council tax-payers. However, projects of this scale are costly and we will be working with the Government to help make sure support is in place to deliver these facilities.”
Private
Waste management Viridor was among the first from the private sector to welcome the publication, hailing it as “visionary”. The firm has a recognised presence in the waste sector in Scotland and, in February 2010, pledged to invest £800 million into waste and recycling Scotland over the next five years (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, the Taunton-based company said that an urgent “step change” would be needed on delivering infrastructure if the 70% recycling target for all waste by 2020 announced under the Plan was to be achieved. The firm currently has two large-scale waste projects stalled in the planning process.
Colin Paterson, Viridor's Scottish regional director, said: “Private sector investment, experience and expertise in partnering the public sector will be vital to ensuring national and local objectives are met. But we can't afford another two, three or four years of planning delays.
“The test will now be whether Scottish Government will move to unlock vital projects such as [Viridor's] Dunbar energy from waste and Portobello road-to-rail. Such moves would provide Viridor, and the sector, with the confidence to accelerate investment to support this welcome policy.”
The Viridor comments on the need for waste management facilities comes one week after an independent study commissioned by the Scottish Government claimed that 2013 would present an “infrastructure hurdle” for waste management and recycling in the country (see letsrecycle.com story).
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