War on waste [waste incineration

Abstract

New European laws mean there is a pressing need for the UK to review its waste management and consult with the community about how changes could be made. The incineration of waste to generate power is set to become more commonplace in the UK as local authorities struggle to meet commitments of the Landfill Directive to divert waste from landfill disposal, thereby avoiding hefty fines. The incentive for local authorities is the steadily rising tax on landfill use. The UK has historically been heavily reliant on landfill; in 2001, of the 28.2 million tonnes of municipal waste produced, 79 per cent was landfilled, 12 per cent recycled and 8 per cent incinerated with energy recovery through 15 or so plants. There are now 22 facilities, including plant due to come on stream later this year, handling a little under five million tonnes of waste. Additional plants in the planning stage or under construction could add another two million tonnes of capacity, increasing the national grid contribution of electricity generated from waste incineration from a meagre 291 MW to 450 MW by 2010.