News Articles

UK energy needs

Amoung the eight technologies indentified in the document as having the greatest potential to help the UK meet its energy needs, those relevant to the waste energy were biomass electricity and biomass heat.

The industry has responded quickly, saying any reform must encourage low-carbon investment

Growth Opportunities

The percentage of municipal waste being recycled needs to increase sharply to overcome the burden of excessive waste generation. In addition, there is a growing need for innovative and cost effective treatment of waste in newly joined EU member states.

An enironmentally conscious Europe is moving away from conventional municipal solid waste management strategies like landfill dumping and is committed to developing new greener strategies. The link established between municipal waste and greenhouse gases has made recycling a priorty across the EU.

Waste Review

In a written ministerial statement, Defra secretary of state Caroline Spelman said "The waste review includes a range of commitments designed to move waste more quickly up the waste heirachy, away from disposal in landfill, with waste prevention a priority, following by re-use, recycling and recovery."

"The Government will work with business sectors and the waste and material resources industry to develop voluntary approaches to cut waste and increase recycling."

A consultation on the banning of wood waste from landfill is to take place next year, while reviews of restrictions in dumping other materials will also take place. Textiles and biowaste will be particularly focused on.

With the aim of driving up the waste heirachy, Defra will develop a comprehensive Waste Prevention Programme by the end of 2013, in the meantime working with businesses to develop re-use and waste prevention further.

Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) & Refuse-derived Fuel (RDF)

Still in its infancy, the market is proving to be an exiting source for waste management firms. It is currently producing two types of SRF which are used as a fuel for cement kilns and engery from waste (EfW) facilities, while it is experiencing increasing demand for the fuel from European markets.

The interest in producing SRF and RDF is a result of the landfill tax escalator. We are seeking growth because of the increase in the landfill tax and waste management firms addressing the need to find outlets for materials that cannot be recycled and would previously have gone to landfill.

It currently costs £56 to dispose of a tonne of waste at a landfill site, this will rise by £8 per tonne each year until 2014, reaching £80 per tonne.