Call to cap number of waste-to-energy incinerators in Scotland

There has been increasing demand for waste-to-energy incinerators

A moratorium on new waste-to-energy incinerators should be introduced immediately in Scotland, a review has concluded.

Ministers ordered the report amid growing concern that the industry was "locking in" waste by creating a demand at incinerator sites.

Six sites currently operate in Scotland with a further 10 going through the planning process.

The Scottish government welcomed the report and will respond fully in June.

The growth in incineration comes ahead of a ban from 2025 on sending residual waste to landfill.

The report, called Stop, Sort, Burn, Bury? follows an independent review by Dr Colin Church, CEO of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

It made 14 recommendations, including that the Scottish government should seek to rapidly reduce the amount of recyclable materials going to landfill or incineration.

Achievable targets

The report predicts there will be a "capacity gap" by the time the landfill ban comes into force but says that gap could be closed by achieving Scotland's waste and recycling targets.

However, some have raised concerns about how achievable those targets are based on the experience of other countries.

Dr Church said it was clear that more must be done to reduce the climate impacts of waste incineration.

He said: "Whilst well-regulated incineration does have a role to play in managing unavoidable residual waste in Scotland, the capacity currently being proposed is likely to be more than needed, so a lot of it should not be built.

"For the proportion that is developed, the level and quality of engagement with local communities needs to be excellent, which unfortunately has not always been the case to date."

The Scottish government's circular economy minister, Lorna Slater, said the review would "play a pivotal role in shaping Scotland's future waste policy".

The Green MSP added: "We want to create a circular economy, where materials stay in use for as long as possible, and nothing is wasted. Only by increasing reuse and recycling can Scotland meet its net zero targets, and we will be publishing ambitious proposals to achieve this soon.

"It is clear from the review that although incineration has a role to play in managing Scotland's unavoidable, unrecyclable residual waste in a safe way, that role is inevitably limited.

"As we transition to a circular economy, Scotland will need significantly less incineration capacity than is currently projected and it is vital that we do not have more capacity than we need."

Maximise energy generation

The report also recommends that a cap is introduced on the amount of residual "black bag" waste being incinerated, and that cap should be reduced over time.

It also urges local authorities to address the issue of "locked-in" waste as part of their contracts with incinerator operators.

Existing facilities should pursue combined heat and power plants on site - creating district heating networks - to maximise the amount of energy being generated, it adds.

The Environmental Services Association, which represents waste-to-energy operators, welcomed what it called a "carefully balanced" report which recognises the role incineration plays.

Executive director Jacob Hayler added: "It is essential that we all work to drive more recyclable materials out of the general rubbish by focusing on waste-avoidance, re-use and recycling, and on important up-stream interventions to stop wasteful packaging and products from being placed on the market.

"But, in line with the report's findings, energy-from-waste continues to perform a vital role as a back-stop for waste that cannot be recycled in Scotland for now."