Zero Waste
Zero Waste world
Zero Waste: Edinburgh and Midlothian, a partnership project between the two Councils has been set up in response to the Scottish Government's aspiration to create a Zero Waste Scotland.
What does zero waste mean?
- eliminating the unnecessary use of raw materials
- implementing sustainable design
- using resources efficiently
- waste prevention
- reusing products
- recovering value from products when they reach the end of their lives through recycling, composting or energy recovery
Why is zero waste being introduced?
Residual municipal waste is the waste collected from households that has not been reduced, reused or separated out for recycling or composting. At the moment we send around two thirds of our waste to landfill.
In line with the commitment of the Councils to zero waste, we need to find a new way of dealing with waste that contributes to the Scottish Government's target of, at most, no more than 5% of all waste being sent to landfill by 2025.
The Scottish Government launched its Zero Waste Plan in June 2010 which outlines their vision of a zero waste future in Scotland . This includes key objectives in addition to waste reduction such as introducing the separate collection of food waste, increasing source segregated recycling rates and providing support for local authorities to treat in a more sustainable manner the residual waste which currently ends up in landfill. The plan includes proposed new recycling/composting targets for household waste of at least:
- 40 per cent by 2010
- 50 per cent by 2013
- 60 per cent by 2020
- 70 per cent of all waste by 2025
The UK could be subject to fines if they do not meet EU targets to reduce the amount of waste they are sending to landfill. This project which is required to meet legislative requirements will help avoid these fines. It will also deliver environmental benefits by contributing to tackling climate change and sustainability.
What will the Zero Waste Project achieve?
The Zero Waste Project is part of an integrated approach to managing waste, which complements the desire of both Councils to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible. Whilst we continue year on year to increase our source segregated recycling, a treatment facility is required to deal with the residual waste collected by the Councils.
Zero Waste: Edinburgh and Midlothian has been set up to procure two contracts with the private sector; one to build a food waste treatment facility and the other to build a facility to recover value from residual waste.
At the moment, it is not known exactly what these facilities will look like or which site they will be built on. However, a preferred site has been purchased by the two Councils in the Millerhill area of Midlothian between an operational rail yard and the former Monktonhall Colliery. Contractors will be asked to put forward their proposals for innovative ways to help meet our objectives. This will include proposing different combinations of technologies and potentially a number of sites. Only when these proposals have been evaluated will the Councils be able to determine and select the best solution.
Proposed Project Site at Millerhill
In advance of any decisions being made on the detail of the technologies that will be used, an application for planning permission was sought and approval in principle was granted by Midlothian Council's Planning Committee on 13 December 2011. This application sought an outline consent to build a mix of technologies capable of accommodating the most likely solutions, specifically;
- an anaerobic digestion facility to treat food waste (30,000 tonnes per annum)
- a Mechanical/Biological Treatment facility to treat residual waste (200,000 tonnes per annum)
- an Energy from Waste plant to recover value from non-recyclable refuse derived fuel produced by the MBT facility (100,000 tonnes per annum)
Work continues to appoint a preferred bidder to build an anaerobic digestion facility. In addition a notice has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) announcing that Edinburgh and Midlothian are seeking to procure residual waste treatment facilities.
Need more information?
Scotland's Zero Waste Plan sets the strategic direction for waste policy for Scotland.
Alternatively, please view the zero waste website or contact us.
