"The draft Issues and Options document is the first step in the production of the Joint Waste Development Plan Document (WDPD) and the Joint Residual Municipal Waste Management Strategy (MWMS) for the West of England"
The West of England councils have issued consultation documents as a first step in moves towards joint planning and joint municipal waste strategies.
In this context the West of England consists of the councils of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol City, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The joint area has very few treatment facilities to deal with waste and relies very much on landfill.
The favourite option currently amongst stakeholders, appears to be pyrolysis/gasification with energy from waste (efw) holding second position.
The West of England has for many years sent its waste to other areas for disposal. The four neighbouring local authorities have decided that the best approach is to work in partnership as joint working is an efficient way to use resources for services and facilities which take place across local authority boundaries.
However each authority in the partnership will retain responsibility for:
- Recycling and composting facilities below 30000 tonnes per annum capacity
- Household waste recycling centres
- Local waste transfer facilities
The draft Issues and Options document is the first step in the production of the Joint Waste Development Plan Document (WDPD) and the Joint Residual Municipal Waste Management Strategy (MWMS) for the West of England.
The waste problem
In the area covered by the joint authorities, in 2005/2006 approximately 560,000 tonnes of municipal waste was generated. Of this around 29% was recycled or composted with the balance going to landfill. Considerable quantities of commercial and industrial wastes were also produced.
In terms of total wastes arising, the South West Regional Assembly has estimated that facilities for the following waste quantities will be required by 2020:
- 150,000 tonnes per annum of composting capacity
- 800,000 tonnes per annum of treatment and recovery capacity
- 600,000 tonnes of landfill capacity
The consultation document suggest a range of 7 options for consideration though it indicates that councils may be prepared to consider others put forward as no decisions have been made.
The options have been sorted into a draft preferential ranking, following earlier consultation with stakeholder groups. The stakeholder groups chose to rank facility types using weighted factors of:
- Environment 37%
- Technical 36%
- Socio-Economic 27%
Further analysis also through in factors on Cost 35%, Quality 65%.
The end result was top ranking for gasification / pyrolysis followed by energy from waste (efw).