WASTE SUMMIT – 3 OCTOBER - PAPER FOR DELEGATES
Purpose of event
1.
The purpose of the waste summit is to seek views on the future, strategic direction for
waste policy in Scotland and on the options available for moving towards a zero waste
society. In particular, the aim is to stimulate debate and discussion on the balance that we
should seek to achieve between waste prevention (including the reuse of goods that would
otherwise be thrown away); recycling and composting; and the recovery of energy from
waste. Another aim for the day is to encourage new thinking and innovatory ideas.
2.
There is a pressing need for decisions in relation to municipal waste (waste collected
by local authorities) and this is, therefore, the main focus of the summit. Municipal waste is
predominantly waste from households, but it also includes some commercial and industrial
waste collected by local authorities. Other forms of commercial and industrial waste are,
nevertheless, important and the summit will provide an opportunity to discuss issues relating
to this sector and the linkeages between municipal and business waste.
Key principles
3.
There are a number of key principles when considering waste policy and moves
towards a zero waste society:
 Minimising the use of scarce resources. There is widespread agreement that we
should regard waste as a resource which can provide environmental and economic
benefits.
 Minimising greenhouse gas emissions. Waste management is currently responsible
for about 3% of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.
 Minimising the release to the environment of other harmful emissions. Poorly
managed waste can lead to a range of harmful effects ranging from “nuisance” to
local residents to threats to public health.
4.
There has been acceptance for some time that we should aim to develop policies in
line with the “waste hierarchy” which states that waste prevention and reuse are at the top of
the hierarchy, followed by recycling and composting and with energy from waste coming
below further down. At the very bottom of the hierarchy is disposal to landfill. There is also
widespread acceptance that controls are required on the handling and use of waste and there
is a system of waste licensing in Scotland, controls over waste in industrial premises and
controls over the incineration of waste.
Key waste data
5.
Key information is:
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Scotland produces around 22 million tonnes of waste a year.
Around 10.6 million tonnes is construction and demolition waste and 8.41 million
tonnes is commercial and industrial waste.
Around 3.4 million tonnes is municipal waste.
In 2006, we landfilled just over 2.4 million tonnes of municipal waste (around 71%)
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In 2006, we recycled/composted over 900,000 tonnes of municipal waste (around
27%)
In 2006, we incinerated around 65,000 tonnes of municipal waste (around 2%).
6.
Our latest estimates suggest that municipal waste is growing at around 1% a year.
Information on the approximate composition of household waste is at Annex A.
7.
More information on waste management in other countries can be found at Annex B.
In brief, although Scotland’s recycling performance has improved dramatically since
devolution (our recycling/composting rate was around 5% in 1999) we still landfill more and
recycle less than most other comparable states in Western Europe. We also incinerate less.
Key targets and policies
8.
Scotland’s targets and policies on waste are heavily influenced by EU legislation.
Key EU legislation is the Waste Framework Directive (which is currently being revised)
which defines waste and provides a framework for controls over waste and the development
of waste strategies by member states, the Landfill Directive (which sets standards for landfill
sites), the Waste Incineration Directive (which sets requirements for the incineration of
waste) and requirements on producers of waste to take responsibility for funding the
recycling and recovery of some waste streams such as packaging, end of life vehicles and
waste electrical and electronic equipment.
9.
The Landfill Directive also contains targets on reducing the amount of biodegradable
municipal waste sent to landfill. The targets relate to biodegradable municipal waste as this
emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, when in landfill. Scotland has an agreed share of
the UK’s targets. Scotland’s targets are:
To landfill no more than 1.32 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste
by 2010.
To landfill no more than 880,000 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by
2013
To landfill no more than 620,000 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by
2020
10.
In 2006, Scotland landfilled 1.48 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste.
11.
The EU Waste Framework Directive requires Member States to have a National
Waste Strategy or Plan. In 1999, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
produced the National Waste Strategy for Scotland. In 2003, SEPA and the then Scottish
Executive produced a more detailed National Waste Plan. SEPA also co-ordinated the
production of 11 Area Waste Plans. In 2007, the National Waste Plan was supplemented by a
Household Waste Prevention Action Plan and a Business Waste Framework.
12.
Key policy levers used so far to move away from landfill and increase recycling are:
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The (ring-fenced) Strategic Waste Fund. This has provided all 32 local authorities
with resources to introduce recycling schemes, and associated public education and
awareness campaigns.
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The Landfill Allowance Scheme, which imposes limits on the amount of
biodegradable waste which authorities can landfill. If a local authority exceeds its
limit, it may be subject to penalties, such as fines although the intention is that local
authorities exceeding their limits will be able to purchase allowances from other
authorities. “Trading” of allowances has already started in England.
Landfill Tax discourages waste (of all types) from being disposed of at landfill.
13.
Increasing recycling/composting helps to meet the EU targets outlined in paragraph 8
above although not all recycled waste is bio-degradable. The forthcoming Scottish
recycling/composting targets for municipal waste are:
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To recycle/compost 30% by 2008.
To recycle/compost 55% by 2020.
In addition, we estimate that we need to reach 40% recycling by 2010 to meet Scotland’s
share of the EU targets outlined in paragraph 8.
14.
As noted above, in 2006, Scotland recycled/composted 27.1% of its municipal waste.
15.
Waste policy does, of course, have close links with other policy areas such as land-use
planning, transport and energy.
Key issues for the summit
16.
We think there are three main issues for the delegates at the summit to consider:
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How far waste can be prevented in the first place.
How far recycling can be further improved in Scotland and how this can be achieved.
What role, if any, energy from waste should play.
Waste Prevention
17.
As indicated above, waste prevention is at the top of the hierarchy. It is strongly
supported by the Scottish Government. There are a variety of ways of achieving waste
prevention such as strict avoidance (eg by reducing unnecessary consumption); reduction (eg
designing and consuming products which generate less waste) and re-using products.
18.
A Waste Prevention Action Plan for Scotland (the first such plan in the UK) was
produced in February this year, following a consultation. This includes action on:
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sustainable design;
lifespan of products;
examining the scope for more producer responsibility;
examining the scope on more bans on certain materials going to landfill;
food waste prevention (including a forthcoming campaign, due to start on 1
November);
packaging;
reducing the environmental impact of carrier bags;
unwanted mail;
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home and community composting;
nappies;
a greater focus on re-use; and
education and awareness.
19.
We estimate that implementing this Plan would prevent approximately 120,000
tonnes of waste arising by 2009/10. The National Waste Plan has an aim to stop the growth
in municipal waste by 2010. Currently, we estimate that municipal waste is growing by
around 1% a year i.e. by about 34,000 tonnes a year
20.
Waste prevention is challenging as a number of developments in society lead to an
increase in waste. These developments include the increase in single-person households;
the growth of consumerism; increased disposable income; convenience led lifestyles; fashion
trends and the increasing costs of repair (whilst the cost of new goods has often stayed the
same or has fallen). There are specific concerns about some elements in the waste stream,
such as packaging: however, some packaging is always going to be required to protect goods.
21.
A key question is what can realistically be achieved by waste prevention, bearing in
mind the social trends and behaviours mentioned above and, in particular, what additional
measures should be taken to allow us to go beyond the target of halting the growth in waste.
Recycling/composting
22.
There is general agreement that Scotland’s recycling/composting rate can be
improved further. However, there is disagreement about whether a realistic rate for Scotland
by 2020 might be around 40%/45% or 70%/75% or somewhere in between. Key issues are:
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Environmental benefits.
Recycling/composting generally have significant
environmental benefits, although the precise benefits vary from material to material.
The life cycle analysis work being undertaken by SEPA (see Annex C for more
details) suggests that higher levels of recycling, if practical and affordable, would
provide significantly higher benefits in terms of greenhouse gas emissions though
benefits in terms of preventing resource depletion would only be comparable with that
achieved by lower levels of recycling combined with energy from waste.
Costs. The recent Audit Scotland report made it clear that recycling waste is a more
expensive option than landfilling or incineration in an energy from waste plant. The
cost of landfill has been steadily increasing (due to the Landfill Tax and higher
standards at landfill sites). However, recycling is likely to remain more expensive
than the alternatives and it is likely that costs per tonne will increase as the level of
recycling increases although there is no direct evidence to support this
Practicalities. Scotland has a high proportion of flatted dwellings (about one third of
our housing stock consists of flats) and remote, rural areas. It is harder, and more
expensive, to collect recyclate from such properties. More generally, recycling
depends on householder participation. Most countries with high recycling rates of
50% or over also have direct charging systems in place for residual waste: this is not
the case in Scotland. Any moves to introduce direct charging for residual waste
might be controversial.
Markets. For recycling to succeed, there must be a market (whether in Scotland,
elsewhere in the UK or overseas) for the materials being collected. If Scotland
wishes to aim for high recycling/composting rates, further work will be required on
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markets for compost derived from food waste and for plastics (other than plastic
bottles).
Food waste. To achieve high recycling/composting rates, we will need to compost
household food waste. We intend to run trials shortly on the collection of food waste
from households. Key issues are likely to be whether householders will participate;
the availability of plants in Scotland to treat food waste and markets for the end
product (including whether agricultural bodies will be happy for compost derived
from food waste to be spread on agricultural land).
23.
Notwithstanding the possible environmental benefits of relying solely or exclusively
on recycling to divert waste from landfill, some argue that the expenditure involved would
not represent value for money and that it would be very difficult if not impossible to persuade
households to recycle 70% or more of their waste given that some materials are not
recyclable and 80% to 90% of many recyclable materials would need to be collected.
24.
The Scottish Government has held workshops with local authorities and others on
how to achieve 40% recycling/composting by 2010. Key elements of work to achieve 40%
will be:
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extending the roll-out of kerbside collections of recyclate;
improving recycling facilities for tenements;
increasing the volume of recycling bins/containers;
collecting more materials for recycling at kerbside;
continuing recycling awareness campaigns and targeting them when appropriate;
improvements to Recycling Centres;
more recycling services for local authority commercial customers;
recovering value from bulky and special uplifts; and
promotion of community and home composting.
Energy from waste
25.
Most comparable countries make greater use of energy from waste than we do.
There are a variety of technologies which can be used (see Annex D).
26.
There have been concerns about the health and environmental impact of energy from
waste plants. However, any such plants would be strictly regulated by SEPA in line with EU
standards as set out in the Waste Incineration Directive.
27 Those opposed to energy from waste plants argue that they can cut across both recycling
and waste prevention, because of the need to utilise plant capacity once they are built. A
range of methods could be used to address this concern such as, for example, only providing
Government funding for a limited energy from waste capacity.
28.
In environmental terms, energy from waste plants generally score above landfill but
below recycling. The precise environmental benefits of energy from waste depend on the
type of plant and the levels of energy recovered. If the plant is Combined Heat and Power
(CHP), then it will capture and use both heat and power and, as a result, increase the
efficiency of the energy capture from 25%/30% to 75%/80% This is markedly more
beneficial than just capturing the power. However, for CHP to be successful there has to be a
customer near-by who is able to use the heat. Retrofitting the piping and other equipment
necessary to deliver heat to surrounding buildings is also very expensive and it is much more
cost effective and practical to install this at the same time as the houses, offices or other
buildings are being constructed.
29.
The previous administration announced in March this year that it would fund
1,140,000 tonnes of residual waste capacity (i.e. treatment facilities for waste not being
recycled). This announcement has not been confirmed by the new Administration. Groups
of authorities have been working together to consider their residual waste treatment needs.
The two leading groups of authorities (Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders; and
the Lanarkshires) are due to submit Outline Business cases to the Scottish Government
shortly.
30.
Residual waste treatment does not have to be energy from waste. As outlined in
Annex D, other options include Mechanical Biological Treatment plants (MBT) and
Anaerobic Digestion facilities (AD). The outputs from such plants can comprise additional
recyclate and either refuse derived fuel which is subsequently burnt or a compost like
material – to date, problems have been experienced in meeting the regulatory standards to
enable use of such material for land restoration purposes and markets for refuse derived fuel
have yet to be developed.
Commercial and industrial waste
31. In tonnage terms, the bulk of Scotland’s waste is commercial and industrial waste.
Successive Governments have applied the polluter pays principle to the costs of dealing with
this waste in line with European legislation. Although the same key principles apply to
business waste as to municipal waste, the policy instruments available are rather different. A
framework for the sustainable management of Scotland’s Business Waste was published
earlier this year. This outlined existing work and proposed new work. Key points in the
Framework are:
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SEPA intend to take further steps to improve the collection of waste data, including
producing a waste data strategy;
The Scottish Government provides support to a number of bodies which provide
advice to business waste producers on waste minimisation;
SEPA are carrying out a survey on local authority trade waste practices;
The UK Government has a Landfill Tax in place;
SEPA will emphasise the importance of waste minimisation when carrying out its
regulatory role;
The Scottish Government, with SEPA, is considering the scope for introducing more
landfill bans;
Producer responsibility is in place in a number of areas such as packaging, End of
Life Vehicles and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment;
The Scottish Government is making improvements to the land-use planning system;
An annual report on the state of Scottish markets for recycled material will be
produced.
32.
One of the issues for the summit is what more might be done to encourage waste
minimisation and recycling of commercial and industrial waste.
Delivery structures
33.
Another question that will be considered at the summit is delivery structures. There
are a number of statutory and non-statutory provisions on delivery structures. These include:
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The National Waste Management for Scotland Regulations 2007 require the Scottish
Ministers to have a national waste management plan for Scotland. The Scottish
Government is also responsible for the Strategic Waste Fund and for making
legislation, including legislation to implement EU Directives on waste.
Under the Environmental Protection Act, local authorities have obligations in relation
to the collection and disposal of household waste and, if asked, in relation to the
collection and disposal of commercial waste.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are responsible for the
enforcement of environmental legislation. SEPA also collect waste data, co-ordinate
the local waste strategy area groups and the Area Waste Plans and assist the Scottish
Government in implementing the National Waste Plan.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) develop markets for recycled
products, support recycling and composting business through advice and funding and
carry out work on waste prevention (eg home composting and retailers).
REMADE Scotland develop markets for recycled products and work with local
authorities and the Scottish Government on applications to the Strategic Waste Fund.
The Scottish Waste Awareness Group (SWAG) co-ordinate local recycling and waste
prevention campaigns, support work by WRAP in areas such as waste prevention (eg
on home composting) and provide national information on reduce, re-use, recycle.
34.
The Scottish Government is already considering how the various delivery bodies can
work closer together. A key question for the summit is whether we have the right delivery
structures at the moment and what can be done to improve delivery structures?
Conclusions and options
35.
Our working assumption to date is that Scotland should make the Landfill Directive
target for 2010 by recycling and composting 40% of MSW but that residual waste treatment
infrastructure (including use of incineration with energy/heat recovery) would be needed to
meet the 2013 and 2020 Landfill Directive targets.
36.
In light of the debate, the key question is how Scotland should meet its share of the
Landfill Directive targets in 2013 and 2020. If we aim to meet the Landfill Directive targets
in 2013 by recycling/composting alone, this means a recycling/composting rate of
approaching 60%.
37.
If we aim to meet the Landfill Directive targets in 2020 by recycling/composting
alone, this means a recycling/composting rate of around 70%.
38.
These recycling/composting rates would be extremely challenging. The obvious
alternative is to invest in some form of residual waste treatment infrastructure, such as energy
from waste. However, the key issue here is to what extent and how we ensure that residual
waste treatment does not crowd out recycling/composting.
39.
Preventing waste also has a role, to reduce the amounts that need to be
recycled/composted or treated.
Waste Strategy Team
Scottish Government
September 2007
ANNEX A: COMPOSITION OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE
Garden waste: 23%
Paper and cardboard: 18%
Kitchen waste: 17%
Household sweepings: 9%
Plastics: 8%
Glass: 7%
Wood: 5%
Scrap metal: 5%
Metal packaging: 3%
Textiles: 3%
Nappies: 2%
ANNEX B
International comparisons
EU 15
Member State
Recycled/composted
Incinerated
Landfilled
Scotland
Greece
Portugal
Finland
Ireland
Italy
Spain
France
Luxembourg
Austria
Germany
Belgium
Denmark
Sweden
Netherlands
27%
17%
18%
33%
40%
37%
40%
35%
45%
60%
60%
60%
40%
42%
63%
2%
20%
7%
6%
4%
35%
35%
20%
22%
33%
56%
54%
35%
71%
83%
62%
60%
60%
57%
56%
30%
20%
20%
18%
7%
4%
4%
2%
More recent countries to enter the EU tend to have waste management records similar to
Scotland’s, with high use of landfill and low recycling.
In the United States as a whole, 32% of municipal waste is recycled/composted; 14% is
incinerated and 54% is landfilled. There is considerable variation within States.
A variety of policy measures are in place in other countries to encourage sustainable waste
management:
As in Scotland, a number of countries have a Landfill Tax. A smaller number of
countries also have a tax on incineration.
A number of countries have restrictions or bans on materials that can be landfilled.
In Scotland, a small number of landfill bans are in place (eg on tyres).
A few jurisdictions have freezes on landfill/incineration capacity (Scotland does not)
Some countries have greater producer responsibility than Scotland.
Many countries and jurisdictions (including the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden,
Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland, Flanders, Bavaria, Massachusetts, California, San Francisco
and Seattle) have household charging/pay as you throw schemes in place. Direct charging in
Scotland is limited to a small number of items, such as bulky uplifts.
A number of countries and jurisdictions have zero waste policies including New
Zealand, California, Doncaster and Bath and North-East Somerset.
ANNEX C: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency are carrying out some life cycle analysis of
various waste management options for municipal waste in Scotland. Life cycle analysis is a
technique that allows the comparison of the environmental impacts of products or services
across their entire life cycle. The waste management options being analysed by SEPA are:
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Option 1: Baseline. As per current municipal waste management practices in
Scotland (27% recycling/composting; 71% landfill; 2% energy from waste).
Option 2. 70% recycling/composting; 30% landfill.
Option 3. 70% recycling/composting; 25% energy from waste; 5% landfill.
Option 4. 45% recycling/composting; 50% energy from waste; 5% landfill.
Option 5. 50% recycling/composting; 25% energy from waste; 25% landfill.
The detailed results will be sent out to delegates after the Summit and will also be published
on SEPA’s website.
The initial results show:
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In relation to climate change, high recycling has a better environmental impact than
alternatives such as landfill and Combined Heat and Power.
In relation to non-renewable resource depletion, there is little environmental
difference between, on the one hand, a high recycling/composting rate of 70% (and
landfilling the remainder) and, on the other hand, a 45% recycling/composting rate,
with 50% use of Combined Heat and Power and 5% use of landfill.
The best option in terms of achievability and environmental benefits may be a
combination of high recycling from both public participation in recycling systems and
some sorting of further recyclate from residual waste with energy recovery on the
remaining residual waste irrespective of the energy recovery technology applied.
This particular study by SEPA covers environmental performance only and considered only
climate change impacts and resource depletion. Other environmental impacts relate more to
the actual technologies used and the specific location of the facilities and as such can only be
modelled at a more detailed local level. Both the Scottish Government and SEPA recognise
that there are also practical issues to be considered when seeking to achieve high recycling
rates such as costs, public participation and recycling services for flats and for remote, rural
areas.
The environmental benefits of recycling vary from waste stream to waste stream. A brief
summary of the environmental benefits of recycling by major waste stream is shown below:
Paper and card
Both recycling and incineration show significant greenhouse gas and energy benefits over
landfill. The higher the quality of the paper and card, the more recycling is favoured. The
use of CHP is preferred to non-CHP.
Food and garden wastes
These can emit significant greenhouse gases when in landfill. Anaerobic Digestion offers
major benefits for food waste whilst composting has the potential to sequester carbon in soils
and to improve soil fertility, which may confer additional climate change benefits.
Aluminium
The recycling of all metals yields significant greenhouse gas benefits as large amounts of
energy are needed to extract and process them,
Glass
Recycling of glass can yield significant greenhouse gas benefits dependent on the processing
route with closed loop recycling (eg container glass recycled as containers) offering
significantly greater benefits than lower grade uses (such as aggregate substitute).
Plastics
Burning plastics has a general adverse greenhouse gas impact due to the release of fossil
carbon.
Recycling shows significant potential for carbon and energy savings through
displacing virgin materials, although the scale of this varies widely with the processing route.
Wood
For some kinds of wood waste, re-use or recycling are better options but generally using
wood as a fuel conveys a higher greenhouse gas benefit
Textiles
Re-use and recycling of all textiles provides environmental benefits, partly due to the high
resource requirements of primary material production.
ANNEX D: WASTE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES
Introduction
Waste treatment technologies have 4 main purposes:
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They can be used to separate co-mingled recyclate into different types e.g. to separate
paper from plastics or to extract certain types of recyclable material from mixed
waste.
The can be used to compost bio-degradable material such as garden waste or food
waste.
They can be used to convert mixed waste into material (known as Refuse Derived
Fuel) which can be used in an energy from waste plant.
They can provide energy through thermal treatment of waste or materials derived
from waste - generally known as energy from waste plants.
A variety of technologies exist and some fulfil more than one of the functions set out above.
They are outlined below.
Recycling
Material Recovery/Recycling Facilities are designed to separate and sort waste either
mechanically or manually.
Composting
Windrow composting is a managed biological process in which biodegradable waste is broken
down by naturally occurring micro-organisms to produce a stabilised residue. Outputs
include compost and some residual waste to landfill. Open-air windrows cannot treat food
waste.
In-vessel composting is a managed process in which biodegradable waste is broken down by
naturally occurring micro-organisms with oxygen to produce compost. Outputs include
compost and some residual waste to landfill. IVCs can treat food waste.
Anaerobic digestion is a managed biological process in which biodegradable waste is broken
down by naturally occurring micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen to produce a
stabilised residue. Outputs include biogas (which can be covered to energy) and organic
fibres, which may be capable of being used as soil conditioner. ADs can treat food waste
and can also recover further recyclate prior to the digestion process.
Technologies for treating residual waste, including energy from waste
Mechanical/Heat Treatment, including techniques such as autoclaving, incorporates heat
using steam, alongside a number of separation techniques. Outputs include organic fibre,
which can be blended and used as a soil conditioner, recyclable materials and Refuse Derived
Fuel (which may be burnt, to recover energy).
Mechanical/Biological Treatment (MBT) is a hybrid treatment which combines biological
and mechanical techniques and may also use techniques to recover further recyclate and
produce Refuse Derived Fuel. Outputs include recyclable materials; organic outputs (the
quality of which depends on the inputs – the outputs may also be used to make Refuse
Derived Fuel) and some residual waste to landfill.
Incineration (often known as energy from waste or waste to energy) is the controlled
combustion of waste, to include energy recovery. Outputs include electricity and heat, some
ash for landfilling and some metals extracted for recycling.
Pyrolysis is the controlled combustion of waste in the complete or partial absence of oxygen
at temperatures between 400ºC and 800º. Outputs includes energy and some material for
landfill.
Gasification is the controlled combustion of waste, in a low-oxygen atmosphere, at
temperatures up to 1,400º. Outputs include a gas which can be used to generate electricity
and/or heat and some ash for recycling and landfill.
Landfill
Landfill is the disposal of waste into or onto land. Landfill sites now are constructed and
operated to strict technical standards to reduce environmental effects. Increasingly, landfill
gas is captured to turn into energy.
ANNEX E: GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS
AD
Anaerobic digestion. The anaerobic decomposition of biodegradable waste, by the
action of micro-organisms under controlled conditions, in order to produce methane in the
form of biogas and, as residue, an organic fraction (digestate) and a liquid fraction (liquor).
AWP Area Waste Plan. Each Waste Strategy Area developed an Area Waste Plan which
is a strategic plan for the development of more sustainable management and treatment of
waste arising in the Waste Strategy Area.
BMW
Biodegradable Municipal Waste. Municipal Waste is estimated to be 63%
biodegradable by composition. Biodegradable waste such as paper, wood and food waste
decomposes in landfill sites to produce methane gas and liquid pollutants.
BPEO Best Practicable Environmental Option. The BPEO is defined in the National
Waste Plan as the waste management solution which all stakeholders collectively agree
achieves the best balance between economic, environmental and social costs and benefits, in
a deliverable and affordable manner, and in compliance with the law.
C&I. Commercial and industrial (waste). Term for waste generated by business.
CoSLA. Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
local government.
Umbrella organisation for Scottish
CRNS
Community Recycling Network for Scotland.
represents the community recycling sector.
Supports, develops and
EfW Energy from Waste. This is the recovery of energy value from waste via thermal
treatment by incinerating the waste directly, or by burning a fuel produced from the waste.
This includes gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion.
IVC. In-vessel composting. A managed process in which biodegradable waste is broken
down by naturally occurring micro-organisms with oxygen to produce compost. Outputs
include compost and some residual waste to landfill. IVCs can treat food waste. managed
process in which biodegradable waste is broken down by naturally occurring microorganisms with oxygen to produce compost. Outputs include compost and some residual
waste to landfill. IVCs can treat food waste.
LCA Life Cycle Analysis. LCA is the assessment of the environmental costs and benefits
of waste management options.
MBT
Mechanical / Biological Treatment. This is a hybrid treatment which combines
biological and mechanical techniques to reduce the volume of waste to separate and sort
waste to recover recyclable materials such as metals, paper and glass and to stabilise the
remaining biodegradable fraction.
MSW
Municipal Solid Waste. MSW is household and commercial waste collected by, or
on behalf of, Local Authorities.
NWP National Waste Plan. Published in 2003.
towards sustainable waste management.
Outlines how Scotland will move
OBC Outline Business Case. This is a detailed financial business case by local authorities
to apply for Scottish Government funding for infrastructure to treat and divert residual
Municipal Waste from landfill to meet landfill directive targets.
PPC Pollution, Prevention and Control. This refers to the regulatory regime, Pollution
Prevention and Control Act 1999 and the same titled regulations which came out the
following year.
RDF Refuse Derived Fuel. This is normally a solid fuel derived from waste which can be
used to generate heat/electricity, but could include biogas produced from waste.
REMADE Scotland. Recycling Market and Development Scotland. Supports work to
develop markets for recycled products and helps local authorities in their applications to the
Strategic Waste Fund.
SEA
Strategic Environmental Assessment. This is an information tool to identify
significant environmental effects which may arise from implementing a plan or programme
and reasonable alternatives to it.
SEPA.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Environmental regulator.
ordinates Area Waste Plans and supports implementation of the National Waste Plan.
SESA. Scottish Environmental Services Association.
management industry.
Co-
Represents private waste
SOC Strategic Outline Case.
A high level case prepared by local authorities on
infrastructure to treat and divert residual Municipal Waste from landfill to meet landfill
directive targets.
SWAG Scottish Waste Awareness Group. Co-ordinates local Waste Aware Scotland
campaigns; provides national information on reduce, reuse, recycle; and works with WRAP
in areas such as waste prevention.
SWF Strategic Waste Fund. Ring-fenced specific grant provided to local authorities by
the Scottish Government to help the move away from landfill.
WRAP
Waste and Resources Action Programme.
products and carries out work on waste prevention.
Develops markets for recycled