MoreThanWaste.com - Hertfordshire public consultation on waste strategy (11/01/2007)

"General awareness of recycling is good but I suspect people don't know the full extent of the challenge we face........ We want people to understand fundamentally what the issues are here"

Richard Brown, Hertfordshire CC.

The Hertfordshire Waste Partnership is consulting on its waste strategy so that it can take account of public opinion before it formalises the strategy. The results of the consultation process will be published in early summer.

Last year Hertfordshire residents produced more than half a million tonnes of household waste, costing around £40 million to collect and dispose of. Currently 60% of this waste is sent to landfill sites.

Hertfordshire's county and district councils (the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership) will be taking some key decisions on how to manage the county's waste in the future.

Key factors

According to the Hertfordshire Partnership, there are three key factors in the need for change.

1. Hertfordshire is running out of landfill space.

The majority of Hertfordshire's landfill contracts run out by 2009 and there is a lack of suitable sites to create further landfill facilities.

2. Waste is damaging the environment

The Partnership considers that even if it could find suitable sites, it would still need to look at alternatives as landfill is harmful to the environment. In particular methane is a potent greenhouse gas which contributes significantly to global warming. Leachate produced from landfills accepting degradable wastes may also threaten water resources.

3. The cost of landfill is increasing

In addition to increasing environmental controls through regulations associated with the Landfill Directive coupled with increasing landfill taxes, local authorities have been set limits for the amount of waste they can send to landfill under the LATS scheme and would face a fine of £150 for every tonne by which the target is exceeded.

Without new disposal facilities, efforts to minimise waste and increased recycling, Hertfordshire could be facing millions of pounds in extra costs, which would impact council tax bills.

At a recent press briefing, Richard Brown the Assistant Director of Environment at the County Council,

"General awareness of recycling is good but I suspect people don't know the full extent of the challenge we face. We want people to understand fundamentally what the issues are here."

Consultation questionnaires will be sent to households in the County Council's Herts Direct magazine.

Treatment options under consideration

In addition to landfill, which is likely to be a necessary disposal route for the foreseeable future though on a diminishing scale, the following treatment options are being considered by the Council:

Mechanical biological treatment (MBT)
Energy from waste (EFW)
Gasification / Pyrolysis

Plants for gasification or pyrolysis can be designed for relatively small quantities of waste, though relatively small Efw plants have also been constructed such as that operated by North Lincs near Grimsby.


	Hertfordshire public consultation on waste strategy (11/01/2007) "General awareness of recycling is good but I suspect people don't know the full extent of the challenge we face........ We want people to understand fundamentally what the issues are here" Richard Brown, Hertfordshire CC. The Hertfordshire Waste Partnership is consulting on its waste strategy so that it can take account of public opinion before it formalises the strategy. The results of the consultation process will be published in early summer. Last year Hertfordshire residents produced more than half a million tonnes of household waste, costing around £40 million to collect and dispose of. Currently 60% of this waste is sent to landfill sites. Hertfordshire's county and district councils (the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership) will be taking some key decisions on how to manage the county's waste in the future. Key factors According to the Hertfordshire Partnership, there are three key factors in the need for change. 1. Hertfordshire is running out of landfill space. The majority of Hertfordshire's landfill contracts run out by 2009 and there is a lack of suitable sites to create further landfill facilities. 2. Waste is damaging the environment The Partnership considers that even if it could find suitable sites, it would still need to look at alternatives as landfill is harmful to the environment. In particular methane is a potent greenhouse gas which contributes significantly to global warming. Leachate produced from landfills accepting degradable wastes may also threaten water resources. 3. The cost of landfill is increasing In addition to increasing environmental controls through regulations associated with the Landfill Directive coupled with increasing landfill taxes, local authorities have been set limits for the amount of waste they can send to landfill under the LATS scheme and would face a fine of £150 for every tonne by which the target is exceeded. Without new disposal facilities, efforts to minimise waste and increased recycling, Hertfordshire could be facing millions of pounds in extra costs, which would impact council tax bills. At a recent press briefing, Richard Brown the Assistant Director of Environment at the County Council, "General awareness of recycling is good but I suspect people don't know the full extent of the challenge we face. We want people to understand fundamentally what the issues are here." Consultation questionnaires will be sent to households in the County Council's Herts Direct magazine. Treatment options under consideration In addition to landfill, which is likely to be a necessary disposal route for the foreseeable future though on a diminishing scale, the following treatment options are being considered by the Council: Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) Energy from waste (EFW) Gasification / Pyrolysis Plants for gasification or pyrolysis can be designed for relatively small quantities of waste, though relatively small Efw plants have also been constructed such as that operated by North Lincs near Grimsby.