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New Waste Management Plan for Scotland
Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead announced on the 24 January 2008 the future direction of the Scottish Government’s waste policy.
The Scottish Government has responsibility to prepare a new National Waste Management Plan for Scotland, which is proposed to contain the following objectives:
- A strong emphasis on waste prevention with the aim of stopping the growth in municipal waste by 2010.
- A target of 70% recycling and composting of municipal waste by 2025. (The Government also expects to reach 40% by 2010; 50% by 2013 and 60% by 2020).
- Reduce the landfilling of municipal waste to 5% of 2025.
- Greater emphasis on commercial and industrial waste with new targets to be developed for reducing the amount of commercial and industrial waste sent to landfill
The Scottish Government has proposed that 25% of municipal waste should be treated by energy from waste by 2025.
Where energy from waste plants are proposed, there is a strong preference for EfW plants to achieve high levels of efficiency, such as Combined Heat and Power or District Heating.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced:
- The review of the Landfill Allowance Scheme
- The establishment of a grant and support scheme of £2.5 million a year for community recycling.
- The revocation of the indicative allocations to local authorities under Phase 2 of the Strategic Waste.
- A forthcoming consultation on potential legislative provisions which could help implement zero waste and the establishment of a Zero Waste Think Tank, in taking forward this strategy.
As, above, the Scottish Government has revoked the indicative SFW phase 2 allocations to local authorities - the submission of Business Cases for funding will no longer be required. Proposed investment options were not considered to be in line with Scottish Government policy- as it was perceived such funding may lead to a small number of large EfW plants.
The target of 40% recycling by 2020 is considered sufficient for Scotland’s compliance with the 2010 Landfill Directive target. Individual recycling targets previously set for local authorities are to be revoked – and instead local authorities are to work to outcome agreements
The Budget announcement ended the ring-fenced Strategic Waste Fund. Resources are being transferred to local authorities through the general local government settlement and Outcome Agreements.
The Budget allocated £154million to a Zero Waste Fund over the three years of the Spending Review. £100 million would be used to support infrastructure linked to recycling, composting and diversion of waste from landfill. £50 million over a three year period will support work by delivery bodies on developing markets.
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